CHARLEY HARPER: AN ILLUSTRATED LIFE

The amazing body of work of under-exposed illustrator Charlie Harper finally gets the careful attention that it deserves.

Graphic Design by Kelly Rakowski. (My fabulously talented former intern at MASS MoCA and now designer at Todd Oldham Studio,

Charlie Harper, An Illustrated Life is certainly worth a look.

From the AMMO Books site:
"AMMO Books proudly presents this beautiful large format title as the definitive monograph of artist Charlie Harper’s lyrical illustrations, spanning his six decade long career. Renowned New York based designer Todd Oldham rediscovered Charlie Harper’s work in 2001, and since then has collaborated closely with him, combing through his extensive archive to edit and design this stunning AMMO Books release.

Charley Harper is an American original. At 84, Charley continues to make art in his studio in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is beloved for his delightful, graphic and often humorous illustrations of nature, animals, insects and people alike. Charley likes to say, that when he paints a bird, he doesn’t count all the feathers in the wings – he just counts the wings. Minimal realism, he calls it, and his unique and precise style continues to resonate and inspire his admirers.

Charlie Harper - An Illustrated Life, showcases his illustrations that appeared from 1950-1975 in the Ford Times magazines, as well as in books such as the beloved “The Giant Golden Book of Biology” in 1961, “Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two” in 1961, and “ The Animal Kingdom” in 1968, among many others. His well loved book “Birds and Words”, first published in 1974, is considered a classic. Remarkably, however, Charley’s work has never before been published in one complete retrospective.

Bringing his legacy to a wider audience, AMMO Books offers Charlie Harper, An Illustrated Life a large format standard book, or as a luxurious limited edition.