Stephen Huneck’s Dog Chapel, complete with statue of a man walking his dog
Who was the commentator (Will Rogers, perhaps) who said, "If there are no dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go there" ?
Posted on 08/24/2011 8:50:19 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Scroll down on the Divinely Designed Church entry for this bonus entry:
Stephen Huneck’s Dog Chapel, complete with statue of a man walking his dog
After his dogs (and loving wife!) helped him recover from a serious illness that doctors thought would kill him, artist Stephen Huneck decided to build a chapel in honor man’s best friend.
Huneck built the dog chapel on his mountain-top farm in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Inside, there are four pews with dog sculptures, a fantastic dog stained-glass window and other interesting dog-themed arts.
(Excerpt) Read more at neatorama.com ...
Stephen Huneck’s Dog Chapel, complete with statue of a man walking his dog
Who was the commentator (Will Rogers, perhaps) who said, "If there are no dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go there" ?
Correction: Will Rogers said, ‘If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.’
LOL, my Dad once said that in his adult Sunday school class-caused quite a stir! : ) But I have to agree with it.
Another doggie ping
oyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
They held a retrospective of his work just this month. May he R.I.P.
With its dog-themed stained glass windows and hand-carved dog pews and sculptures, the Dog Chapel is more than just a place to remember and celebrate the companionship of canines. It is a majestic and one-of-a-kind work of art. Why did Vermont artist Stephen Huneck build the Dog Chapel?
The "wild idea" came to him shortly after he returned home with his wife and three dogs following a serious accident that left him suffering with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome and in a coma for two months. At the Dog Chapel Web site, you can read the compelling story of how Huneck's illness and a near-death experience profoundly inspired him to show appreciation for basic things we often take for granted.
"I look at this chapel as the largest artwork of my life, and my most personal," stated Huneck.
Dogs were already a subject of interest to the artist, known for his whimsical wood sculptures, furniture and woodcut prints, and they came to dominate his works, which are exhibited and sold in a gallery on the Dog Chapel property.
In this close-up photo of one of the stained glass windows in Stephen Huneck's Dog Chapel, you'll see how dogs are celebrated in every detail of this captivating chapel.
While no regular services are held, visitors and their dogs are invited to pause inside the chapel. It's the perfect place to give thanks for all of those sloppy kisses, waiting-at-the-door greetings, barked alerts and shared walks in the woods and to forgive all of those muddy footprints on the kitchen floor and accidents on the carpet.
I REALLY like the pews. :-)
www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/arts/design/01huneck.html
Obituary
Shucks! That one didn’t work. Use the first link I provided. It takes you to several obituaries. Click on the first one. There is a lot of information there about the chapel and the gallery — his life’s work. Very interesting.
Stephen Huneck and his wife, Gwen, in 2001, next to one of his works.
This is a nice article. Worth reading.
I understand his love of dogs, but I have a problem with making it look like one should worship dogs. I worship God.
I too. The guy’s stuff is cute, but the chapel as it appears to be from pix, is bordering on sacrilege.
Doesn’t look that way to me. Looks like a place to worship God with one’s dogs, not to worship dogs.
Why?
See #17. I think his chapel celebrates the bond between human and dog and throws a welcome mat out for furry friends. My church holds a blessing ceremony for all pets each Fall in conjunction with St. Francis’ Feast Day. I don’t think that it is sacriligious at all.
I remember one time, many years ago before air conditioning, the church doors were open during a service and a dog wandered in. The priest welcomed him and guided him to an usher who ushered him out. Nobody mminded.
I beleive the same thing. They are probably the greatest animal.
I like all of this chapel!
He was a remarkable and troubled man. This may shed some insight into his life.
See #23
Oh for crying out loud..Give it a break!
we all know you are holy....
Because besides stereotypical architecture, I see no actual reference to God or Christ. All I see is dogs.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2768391/posts?page=26#26
I’m sorry but from the pix here, that’s all I see. Even if he didn’t mean it that way, perhaps like the United 93 memorial’s foot-in-mouth Moslem-esque design, that’s the impression it leaves. Worshipping dogs.
Having St. Francis blessings (which we have in our area) or a priest allowing a dog in church is not at all the same situation.
Thanks for these!
Dogs are special!
Yeah, so how does that not make it a house of God? The chapel here on the JEB base in Va Bch has stained glass windows with USN rating badges and sailors. That doesn’t mean people go there to worship the navy.
Excuse me? What chapel based on God does NOT have an altar area/sanctuary with a cross at least, never mind representation of Christ?
I have no idea how your chapel actually looks. If it has no symbolism or pictures of holy figures, then it isn’t much of a chapel.
It’s the multi-denominational chapel on the navy base. The only views we have of this chapel are the outside, a window, and one wall on the inside. Works for me and apparently others, sorry it doesn’t work for you.
I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Any pictures?
What “only views”? What do you mean? You can’t see anything but those things? Not allowed to photograph?
I can’t tell what it’s like without “views”. I don’t even know the proper name of this base in VA Beach to research it myself. So I can’t tell you if I approve of it as truly God-based, or not.
I get it now. You meant to have paragraphs separated, “this chapel” suddenly being the dog chapel.
Clearly the “wall” photo is the front “altar” area, unless this is a unique set-up. It’s viewed from the main aisle and shows a front row of pews facing away.
It’s strange there is no symbolism I can see for Christ in that central part.
I’m sure the USN/USMC Chaplain corps will be glad you approve of their chapel. Every military chapel I’ve been to, is multi-denominational.
I’m figuring that this is a unique chapel set-up.
It used to be Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, now it’s Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.
“I’m sure the USN/USMC Chaplain corps will be glad you approve of their chapel.”
I’m very important, you know. :D
“Every military chapel I’ve been to, is multi-denominational.”
Interesting - although that can be scary. In K(C)olumbia, MD, that means “interfaith center” aka, no faith. Any pictures of the Navy chapel? Thanks for the proper name of the base (I have never heard of those so had no idea where to look, although I believe this is where my cousin’s husband was last stationed before retirement - never heard a name).
“I’m figuring that this is a unique chapel set-up.”
Could be. Could be a set-aside area instead of the altar, per se.
Sorry, no pictures. Most people know it as Little Creek NAB, lots of SEALs and UDT school here and amphib ships.
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