I love Charley Harper. He fascinated me as a little girl. Picking out our family Christmas card every year was a big deal for my Mom. My uncle was a printer and I remember looking through books of cards to choose THE Christmas card. And I loved it that our names were printed on the card. I do remember a dark background card with a red cardinal that I know was a Charley Harper. Funny how at a young age styles of art stuck in my head like that.

And now this book of many of his drawings. When I went to school to be a graphic artist I revisited Charley Harper I was even more impressed. People may not be now. His illustrations are executed with a computer-like precision but before computers. That means he actually DREW things that perfect and I know how hard that is.

I love it that someone like Todd Oldham 'discovered' him and has made him available to the masses.

Charley Harper was an American original. For over six decades he painted colorful and graphic illustrations of nature, animals, insects and people alike, from his home studio in Cincinnati, Ohio until he passed away in 2007 at the age of 84. Renowned New York based designer Todd Oldham rediscovered Charley's work in 2001, and collaborated closely with him in the ensuing years; combing through his extensive archive to edit and design this stunning monograph. This coffee table tome is popularly priced, beautiful tribute to Charley Harper's singular style, which he referred to as Minimal Realism.

If anyone is interested I have a link in the My Picks carousel at the right.