Art by P. Graham Dunn

This is my first post in the  A to Z Blogger Challenge.  The challenge is to write a blog post every day during April (excepting Sundays). That's 26 days to match 26 letters of the alphabet.  Each post must be themed according to a letter of the alphabet.

Being April 1 and the first day of this challenge, I am starting with the letter A.  My theme is Art by P. Graham Dunn.

Have You heard of  P. Graham Dunn?  Ever seen their artwork?  Heard the family story?  If not, I'm claiming the honor of introducing you to this fantastic family, their story, and art.

P. Graham Dunn is a family business whose story begins in the 1940's.  Marvin and Miriam Dunn spent most of their lives as missionaries in China under the China Inland Mission.

When Japan invaded China and the lives of the missionaries were in danger, CIM ordered all their missionaries to be evacuated to India.  Another missionary couple, Mr. and Mrs. Graham Hutchinson were scheduled to leave China on the same flight as the Dunns.  Unfortunately, there was not enough room for everyone.  Since Miriam Dunn was pregnant, the Hutchinson's gave their seats to the Dunns.

After the Dunns were safely in India, they found out that the flight carrying the Hutchinsons had crashed and everyone on it had been killed.

The Dunn's first child was a girl, Rosemary.  Their second child, a boy, was born after it was safe for them to return to China to continue their missionary work.  He was named Peter Graham, after Graham Hutchinson.  Years later when Peter and his wife LeAnna had a son, they also remembered the Hutchinson's by naming their son Thomas Graham Dunn.

In 1972, Peter and LeAnna opened a home for runaway girls in New York City.  They taught the girls to do woodworking and carve plaques and other gifts that were sold in markets in Greenwich Village.  When Peter and LeAnna's work in New York was done, they transferred the woodworking business to the Dunn farm in Dalton, Ohio.

In the beginning, every item made was designed by Peter. However, today the business employs a group of workers, all of whom add their ideas and workmanship to the company.  They have made it a point to always remember the sacrifice of  Mr. and Mrs. Graham Hutchinson as well as the missionary work of Peter's parents with the China Inland Mission.  Ultimately, P. Graham Dunn's business mission is to lift up and glorify God.

You can read more about this Christian business at their website, pgrahamdunn.com.