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Charley Harper

Charley Harper (1922 - 2007) was an American best known for his highly stylized wildlife prints, posters and book illustrations. In a style he called 'minimal realism', he captured the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements, saying: 'When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I do not see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe'. (From the catalogue for Charley Harper, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati).


Drawings and works on paper   

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