Born in Budapest, Dora de Pédery-Hunt studied at the Royal School for Applied Art, Budapest, 1937-43, where she graduated with her Master of Fine Arts, winning numerous scholarships and prizes. She came to Canada in 1948 and settled in Toronto where she has done sculpture and design. Her commissions include medals, coins, graphics, illustrations, cards. Everyday we carry a piece of Canadiana created by Dora de Pédery-Hunt in the form of Canadian coinage bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. She completed works for the Chapels of Notre Dame Academy at Waterdown, Ontario, and the Northern Commercial and Technical School, Toronto. She has lectured internationally for galleries and other groups and taught for many years at the Ontario College of Art. Two of her sculptures of Dr. Frances Loring are in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada, one of artificial stone, the other of bronze. Recipient of numerous awards, including the Order of Canada (O.C.), several honourary doctorates and the J. Sanford Saltus Award, she has also been active in the Hungarian Canadian community as a past President of the Hungarian Helicon Society.
“Her sculpture is realistic but simplified. She has worked in a variety of mediums including clay, wood, bronze and plastics.” (source: Sculptors Society of Canada web site : http://cansculpt.org).
In 1965 her first significant exhibition of medals and miniature sculpture attracted a great deal of public attention and acclaim. Since then, her artistic career has skyrocketed and her reputation as an outstanding sculptress had become firmly established not only throughout Canada, but also internationally. Giving her a big boost in this direction was her authoring the first Canadian work on medal art entitled: “Medals”. She has exhibited collections of sculptured jewelry ,designed the Canadian postage stamp honouring Sir Donald Smith as well as two gold coins for the Royal Canadian Mint, the 1976 Montreal Olympic Commemorative $100 and the $100 coin commemorating the International Year of Peace 1986.
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