Dog Artist Stephen Huneck Dead at 60
I am shocked this evening to read that Stephen Huneck has died- suicide.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2010/01/08/obit-huneck-folk-artist.html
He makes folk-art type prints and wood sculptures of dogs- often labradors- that are simple and joyful. I met him a few years ago at a fundraiser for Tufts Vet School and we talked printmaking a little bit. He was donating some prints to benefit a Fund at the School. Last summer, Jeff and I went to visit his Dog Chapel-
http://www.dogmt.com/chapel.php
http://z.about.com/d/gonewengland/1/5/r/N/dogchapel4.jpg
Its a tiny chapel on a mountaintop in the Northeast Kingdom (a part of Vermont) and its got dog stained glass, carved pews, sculptures and so forth. You can bring your dog, of course, but we had left ours in Massachusetts. The walls of the chapel inside are covered with postcards and photographs of dogs remembered. Some are mailed in from a postcard in the back of his book The Dog Chapel, or you can take a card right there and write your own. I wrote a message for my childhood dog, Fred, and drew a picture of her and tacked it on the wall with the others.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/1243043185_0bf7ebb8db.jpg
There is a pond there and carved benches, and dogs are encouraged to visit and play. There were several relaxing on the grounds. He had a nice big barn to work in there too. Even the bathroom in the shop there was doggy- the faucet was turned on and off by moving a brass dog's tail.
http://www.dogmt.com/images/healinghouse/faucet.jpg
I hope that the Dog Chapel will continue on, despite the loss of Stephen, it is a special place and I think the best most personal thing he made and for all of us to make personal to ourselves. If you go to Vermont, it is worth driving out of your way to pay respects to dogs- your dogs that were, that are and all dogs, at the Dog Chapel. Thank you, Stephen.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2010/01/08/obit-huneck-folk-artist.html
He makes folk-art type prints and wood sculptures of dogs- often labradors- that are simple and joyful. I met him a few years ago at a fundraiser for Tufts Vet School and we talked printmaking a little bit. He was donating some prints to benefit a Fund at the School. Last summer, Jeff and I went to visit his Dog Chapel-
http://www.dogmt.com/chapel.php
http://z.about.com/d/gonewengland/1/5/r/N/dogchapel4.jpg
Its a tiny chapel on a mountaintop in the Northeast Kingdom (a part of Vermont) and its got dog stained glass, carved pews, sculptures and so forth. You can bring your dog, of course, but we had left ours in Massachusetts. The walls of the chapel inside are covered with postcards and photographs of dogs remembered. Some are mailed in from a postcard in the back of his book The Dog Chapel, or you can take a card right there and write your own. I wrote a message for my childhood dog, Fred, and drew a picture of her and tacked it on the wall with the others.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/1243043185_0bf7ebb8db.jpg
There is a pond there and carved benches, and dogs are encouraged to visit and play. There were several relaxing on the grounds. He had a nice big barn to work in there too. Even the bathroom in the shop there was doggy- the faucet was turned on and off by moving a brass dog's tail.
http://www.dogmt.com/images/healinghouse/faucet.jpg
I hope that the Dog Chapel will continue on, despite the loss of Stephen, it is a special place and I think the best most personal thing he made and for all of us to make personal to ourselves. If you go to Vermont, it is worth driving out of your way to pay respects to dogs- your dogs that were, that are and all dogs, at the Dog Chapel. Thank you, Stephen.
Comments
http://gonewengland.about.com/od/vtsightseeing/ss/aadogchapel.htm