Stephen Huneck

Stephen Huneck ( ; October 8, 1948 – January 7, 2010) was an American wood carver and folk artist. He also authored a series of children's books featuring Sally, the first of which, ''Sally Goes to the Beach'', was a ''New York Times'' best seller.

During his recovery from a serious illness left him in a coma in 1994, Huneck drew support and inspiration from his dogs, in particular his black lab Sally, who was a regular subject for his woodcuts and carvings. The following year, Huneck purchased a mountaintop farmstead in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, renaming the site Dog Mountain. There he constructed ''The Dog Chapel'', a replica of a traditional New England chapel filled with his carvings and other artwork and dedicated to dogs and other pets. Dog Mountain was home to Huneck's gallery and workshop, as well as was open to the public as a dog park.

After financial difficulties stemming from the Great Recession led Huneck to layoff staff at Dog Mountain, he committed suicide in January 2010. Provided by Wikipedia