To caricature and simplify at the same time!
January 30, 2013 8:43 AM Subscribe
Charley Harper's "minimal realism" contributions to science and art are being celebrated by the graphic design blog Codex 99. Part 1 - Charley and Edie. Part 2 - The Birds. Part 3 - Tin Lizzie and Dinner for Two. Part 4 - The Golden Book of Biology. Part 5 - Bambi and Childcraft. Part 6 - The Animal Kingdom.
I don't have words for how much Charley's work means to Ms. Mintcake & me. This is just wonderful. Thank you.
posted by mintcake! at 10:04 AM on January 30, 2013
posted by mintcake! at 10:04 AM on January 30, 2013
I did not know about the mosaic mural in Cincinnati – very cool!
My favorite piece has always been Bear in the Birches, but I'm not ready to shell out two grand for a serigraph yet. I was lucky though to pick up a copy of the Book of Biology for $10 at a University used book sale about 5 years ago.
posted by Kabanos at 10:26 AM on January 30, 2013
My favorite piece has always been Bear in the Birches, but I'm not ready to shell out two grand for a serigraph yet. I was lucky though to pick up a copy of the Book of Biology for $10 at a University used book sale about 5 years ago.
posted by Kabanos at 10:26 AM on January 30, 2013
The mosaic mural in Cincinnati is indeed wonderful. I saw it when I was there last fall. It's in the federal building so you do need to get past security. There's a more compact version in the biology building at the Miami University in Oxford.
posted by plastic_animals at 10:40 AM on January 30, 2013
posted by plastic_animals at 10:40 AM on January 30, 2013
THANK YOU!! I have been lusting the Todd Oldham book about him and I'll finally be getting it soon. His work is beautiful and amazing.
posted by bibliogrrl at 11:11 AM on January 30, 2013
posted by bibliogrrl at 11:11 AM on January 30, 2013
Harper is just sooooo good. My father, a retired wildlife biologist, once had the good fortune to have lunch one-on-one with Charley Harper. I just wrote him for the full story and will post it here if there's more to tell.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:18 AM on January 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:18 AM on January 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Cincinnati got a building-sized mural last year.
http://randomthoughtsfrommidlife.wordpress.com/tag/homecoming-bluebirds/
posted by tresbizzare at 11:37 AM on January 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
http://randomthoughtsfrommidlife.wordpress.com/tag/homecoming-bluebirds/
posted by tresbizzare at 11:37 AM on January 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
from my father, as promised. :
Yes, I met him at a Restoration Ecology conference at Rutgers University. Restoration Ecology Society is an unusual organization. They promote creativity through art and Charley Harper was the guest artist. He had his own room to display and sell his art. One afternoon the paper sessions were of little interest to me, so I sat and chatted with Charley for a couple of hours. I invited him out to DeSoto Refuge to draw snow geese which he expressed real interest but he never came. I remember the conference for meeting him, meeting Native Americans from the West Coast who were engaged in restoration ecology, going to a Yankee/Twins game at Yankee Stadium (one of the scheduled field trips), and a dinner cruise on the Hudson River around Manhattan Island.
Not a wildly exciting story, but Harper is such an icon I think it's great that Dad got to have a long form conversation with the man.
I grew up with this print on our wall. As a kid I didn't have context for it, so I always thought it was oddly morbid. Now I just love it.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:43 AM on January 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yes, I met him at a Restoration Ecology conference at Rutgers University. Restoration Ecology Society is an unusual organization. They promote creativity through art and Charley Harper was the guest artist. He had his own room to display and sell his art. One afternoon the paper sessions were of little interest to me, so I sat and chatted with Charley for a couple of hours. I invited him out to DeSoto Refuge to draw snow geese which he expressed real interest but he never came. I remember the conference for meeting him, meeting Native Americans from the West Coast who were engaged in restoration ecology, going to a Yankee/Twins game at Yankee Stadium (one of the scheduled field trips), and a dinner cruise on the Hudson River around Manhattan Island.
Not a wildly exciting story, but Harper is such an icon I think it's great that Dad got to have a long form conversation with the man.
I grew up with this print on our wall. As a kid I didn't have context for it, so I always thought it was oddly morbid. Now I just love it.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:43 AM on January 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Hey, neat! I hadn't heard of this artist - but fell across a wall calendar featuring his work this year, which is now on my wall. From the look of the work I thought he was much more contemporary.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:27 PM on January 30, 2013
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:27 PM on January 30, 2013
Oh my, I now want a copy of that textbook so bad. I'm afraid to find out how much they go for. I do know that you can order several Charley Harper posters from th US government bookstore (they're very inexpensive).
posted by rebeccabeagle at 6:57 AM on January 31, 2013
posted by rebeccabeagle at 6:57 AM on January 31, 2013
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posted by carter at 8:57 AM on January 30, 2013