Dorothy Grafly

Dorothy Grafly (later Drummond) (July 29, 1896 – November 13, 1980) was an American journalist, art critic, author, curator and philanthropist. Grafly wrote extensively for a wide variety of newspapers and magazines, and was described in Time magazine as "the ablest art critic in the city" of Philadelphia. Her book A History of the Philadelphia Print Club appeared in 1929. She served as the editor of Art Outlook (1943–1949) and the publisher and editor of Art in Focus (1949–1980).

Early life and education Artist and teacher Charles Grafly and his wife Frances Sekeles were married on June 7, 1895. Their daughter Dorothy Grafly was born on July 29, 1896, in Paris, France, and taught at Drexel University and later Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA).

Dorothy Grafly graduated from Wellesley College in 1918, at which time her address was given as 131 N. 20th St., Philadelphia, Pa. Her poetry was included in the collection Poets of the Future. She was a student of Radcliffe College at Harvard University in 1918–1919.

Career Grafly wrote widely for newspapers and magazines The American Magazine of Art; and Art and archaeology. She was an art critic for The Philadelphia Bulletin; art editor of the North American and special correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.

In 1932, Grafly was appointed curator at the Drexel Museum and Picture Gallery, where she remained until 1945. She was active in developing both outreach and educational programs. She served on the Advisory Art Committee at Drexel. On August 9, 1946, she married attorney Charles H. Drummond.

In 1971, Grafly and her husband donated the contents of Charles Grafly's studio to Wichita State University. The Charles Drummond and Dorothy Grafly Drummond Fund supports the Ulrich Museum and the Grafly Gardens at Wichita State, where the sculptural works of Charles Grafly are presented.

Archival collections Bust of Dorothy Grafly, by Frank Chinnici, Ulrich Museum of Art Dorothy Grafly Search, Special Collections and Archives, Drexel University Dorothy Grafly Search, Special Collections and Archives, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Dorothy Grafly Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Wichita State University Libraries