(West Chester, PA – July 22, 2019):
Born in 1929 in West Chester, Harry Dunn studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia College of Art, and the Art Students League of New York. Harry went on to work in New York and Philadelphia in advertising, television & illustration. Harry’s most widely-recognized illustration became the NBC peacock, promoting full living color television in 1956. Harry’s artwork was featured on the covers of The New Yorker, Park East, House & Garden and Fortune magazines. In the 1960s and 1970s a good deal of Harry’s artwork and murals were installed for display in East Coast hotels, apartment buildings, and banks. In his later years, Harry mentored many artists throughout Chester County.
Although Harry passed away in 1998, his legacy lives on through his family and friends, his artwork, and the Harry Dunn Scholarship Fund. Harry also served as the inspiration for the Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery and The West Chester Gallery Walk. Harry’s friend and mentee, Sandra Riper of Sunset Hill Jewelers & Fine Arts Gallery in West Chester, oversees the annual scholarship award.
Each year, the Harry Dunn Art Scholarship is awarded to a Chester County student to pursue their education in the arts. The 2019 winner, Mia Schaller of Downingtown, has loved art for as long as she can remember. Growing up with her artist father Jeff Schaller, Mia was always immersed in drawing. Mia’s favorite type of artwork is illustration, specifically drawing people. “I love creating characters and giving them a story and trying to put it all into a single illustration. I think life and people are so fascinating that you could never run out of ideas with them.”
Mia is studying illustration with a minor in animation at John Paul the Great Catholic University in California. Mia aims to become a professional illustrator, either as a freelancer or for an animation studio. Mia also hopes to design children’s books or graphic novels using the characters she creates. Mia exclaims, “I was thrilled and honored when I received the Harry Dunn Art Scholarship. It is helping me pursue my dream! I am extremely grateful to Sandra Riper of Sunset Hill for selecting me.”
To celebrate the scholarship, Mia and her father’s artwork were featured in a special father/daughter showing at Sunset Hill Jewelers & Fine Arts Gallery. Mia explains, “When people love something that you have worked so hard on and put your heart into…well, it’s just the nicest feeling in the world.”
Mia has lived, learned, and grown up in Chester County. As she pursues her dreams, everyone at the Chester County Community Foundation wishes her all the best.
For further information, contact:
Beth Krallis, Marketing & Communications Officer
Chester County Community Foundation
bethk@chescocf.org (484) 887-0467
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About the Chester County Community Foundation
Headquartered in West Chester’s Historic Lincoln Building, the Chester County Community Foundation connects people who care with causes that matter, so their legacy philanthropy makes a difference now and forever. The Community Foundation holds nearly $60 million in trust and annually awards $2.5 million in grants and scholarships. www.chescocf.org
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