w w w.c h e s t e r c m s .o r g
The Art of
Chester County
Vaughn Stadtmiller BY BRUCE A. COLLEY, DO
V
New York New York (On the cover)
Gulkana Run
16 CHESTER COUNT Y Medicine | SPRING 2022
aughn Stadtmiller grew up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania but has lived in Chester County for the past 40 years. He described his interest and love of art beginning from his earliest memories. “I cannot remember a time in my life when art was not the reason for my being.” Vaughn shared a beautiful story crediting his father for fostering his interest and talent. His father, a shipping supervisor at a local manufacturing plant, also loved art since his boyhood, but needing to provide for his family never pursued art in any other way but as an evening hobby. His dad, who never lost his passion for drawing, ran across and advertisement in TV Guide for art classes via the Famous Art School, a post-war correspondence school. His dad would order art classes in the mail and lovingly complete them in his few off hours. Vaughn’s most precious memories of his father were of him working on his art, allowing Vaughn to sit with him and when older help complete the projects. Though Vaughn spoke of their relation tangentially, it was clear to me his father recognized Vaughn’s artistic bent and championed his pursuit of a career in art. Though passing at age 56 and never living to see Vaughn’s stellar career I suspect he knew full-well of his son’s talents. Yes, this memory Vaughn shared with me of his father’s love of his son brought tears to me.
