The Art of Charley Harper (Creatures Wild and Tame)

Harper’s iconic depictions of animals have long enjoyed robust appreciation among nature lovers and aficionados of mid-century modern furnishings, which they exquisitely complement.

A longtime resident of Cincinnati, Harper developed his “minimal realism,” as he referred to his style, in the 1940s and 50s, stripping down nature to its essential characteristics in elegant, engaging, vividly coloured designs that breathe life and personality. Harper was an indefatigable worker who transformed an array of drawings, collages, and paintings into his beloved screen prints, book illustrations, and posters.

An ardent advocate of wildlife conservation and climate activism, Harper has been the favorite artist of nature organizations across the United States, including the National Park Service and the Audubon Society for whom he designed eye-catching illustrations and posters.

Accompanies an exhibition of the same name at Cincinnati Art Museum.

Works in the book are from Collection of Brett Harper; Cincinnati Art Museum, OH; Springfield Museum of Art, OH; Mass Audubon Collection; National Park Service, Everglades National Park; National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center; and private collections.

Front cover: Charley Harper; Scary Scenario, 2006; color screen print on paper; image 25 × 22 in. (63.5 × 55.9 cm); sheet 29 × 26 in. (73.7 × 66 cm); Collection of Brett Harper. © Charley Harper, all rights reserved