I have a crush on Charley Harper

This is my current favourite children's book:

I ordered it for Ariana for Christmas. I postponed wrapping it for a week so I could look at it every night before bed. The images are that gorgeous and soothing. Now it resides in the little turquoise backpack Ariana uses to store and transport her prized possessions.

Charley Harper (1922-2007) was an American artist known for his geometric, stylized depictions of wildlife. He commented once that while some artists counted the feathers in the wings, he merely counted the number of wings. His images are simple, playful and brilliantly coloured.

Harper grew up on a farm in Cincinnati and enjoyed wildlife from an early age. I find stories of nature-loving children who grow up to become artists/naturalists immensely appealing. It seems so pure. And what better blend of art and science? (Robert Bateman's story is similarly pleasing - now there's someone who counts every feather in the wing.)

So now I'm trying to pick a print or two for our home. My job would be easier if the man weren't so remarkably prolific and talented. I will soldier on.

Comments

[marci-beth maple]

check out his line of clothes with old navy....enough to make you shop a national chain!

[FreshMD]

@Marci - I know! Designer Todd Oldham is the new creative director for Old Navy, and he brought in all the Charley Harper stuff. (He also wrote the definitive book on Harper - sells for $260 at Chapters.) I have mixed feelings on Old Navy's line . . . glad that the populace is being introduced to Harper's work, but wondering if it's cheapened by being mass-produced on flimsy $8 t-shirts.

[sheri]

I must have that book! Actually, I'll need three copies: one for Adam, one for Megan and one for me that stays pristine!

[Hannah]

Commenting like this will reveal my ignorance on most things artistic but..... "Charley Harper where have you been all my life?"

[Elizabeth]

Lovely -- I have almost the same Harper book for my 19 month old son, except it has one letter/illustration on each page instead of 4. It also has this dramatic "wallpaper" of a million types of creatures made tiny on the inside cover. He is fascinated by that. I enjoy your blog, my partner has CF and underwent a lung tx in 2001; he enjoys the descriptions of patient interactions especially, I think. I thought you might be interested in this: Charlie Harper made a series of posters for the US National Park Service in the late 1980. They are beautiful (I think) and one can, I think, still buy them from the US gvt for very reasonable prices (I think mine was $10). They can be a little hard to track down, but searching on "US park service poster harper" or something like that ought to get you there. I've tried to copy a link to one and I've posted a picture on my (poorly maintained) blog. Best to you. Elizabeth
http://home.nps.gov/applications/hafe/hfc/salespub3.cfm?Record_id=84

[FreshMD]

@Elizabeth - Thanks so much for that. I just popped over and ordered the Sierra Range poster - $14 and free shipping to Canada! I am so pleased.(I poked around and found six Charles Harper posters there.)

[mixette]

Hi there - delurking! Love your blog.

I discovered CH a couple years ago when one of the shelter magazines did a feature on Todd Oldham's home.

I bought this poster that he designed for the Cornell School of Ornithology:
http://tinyurl.com/bq6tcg

And all my friend with kids got the Old Navy books and the puzzle for Christmas.

[mixette]

Oops. Link above is for a recipe (you might like that too!).

Bird poster here:
http://tinyurl.com/b5ujcn

[Shael]

Believe it or not, they have this book, a very cool coloring book (which I secretly bought for me) and flash cards/puzzles (bought for my daughter, sort of) at OLD NAVY! I love Charley Harper too!