Charles Burton "Charley" Harper

Charles Burton "Charley" Harper. . , Charley Harper was born in neighboring Frenchton, Upshur County, West Virginia on August 4, 1922, the son of Orval Cecil Harper (1888-1958) and Ulna N. Harper (1889-1977). He was one of three children, who with sisters, Ruth and Reta, grew up on the family farm just a few miles south of Buckhannon. Inspired by our area's natural beauty and nature's grandeur, Mr. Harper developed an early love for wildlife and art, ultimately recognized as one of the most acclaimed and internationally renowned, American, modernist and naturalist artists. Harper's illustrious career in art began right here. During his student days at West Virginia Wesleyan College, Harper served as the Art Director for Wesleyan's 1940 edition of the yearbook, the Murmurmontis, a significant yearbook that then celebrated our college's golden anniversary. Charley Harper was drafted and served as a reconnaissance scout in the U.S. Army during World War II. Using ink and watercolor to document stark scenes of war-torn Europe, including bombed-out churches, cities and battlefields, Harper's art during world war two included his self-portrait as an army scout and anti-war cartoons. His son, Brett Harper, observed following his father's passing, "On an emotional level, I am continually moved by the photos of 'Stroll Into Oblivion' and its visceral portrayal of one element of war's collateral damage, i.e., orphaned, displaced children.", After leaving West Virginia, Harper studied at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. He met his wife, Edie McKee Harper (1922-2010), also a renowned artist, at the Art Academy. Charley and Edie were married for 60 years. Charley and Edie spent their honeymoon traveling the country, mainly in the west and south, being able to do so because of the Stephen H. Wilder Scholarship the Academy awarded to Charley for post-graduate travels. Charley Harper returned to the Art Academy of Cincinnati as a teacher and also worked for a commercial art studio before working on his own. He and his wife worked out of their Roselawn and Finneytown homes, and later, with their only child Brett Harper, formed Harper Studios., Charley Harper was best known as an illustrator, notably for his work in Ford Times magazine, and in books including The Golden Book of Biology for children. He also created works for the National Park Service, the Cincinnati Zoo, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Everglades National Park, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and the Michigan Audubon Society among many others. His works were featured in Betty Crocker's cookbook., In a style he called "minimal realism," Charley Harper captured the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible, visual elements. There was a rare and delightful playfulness in Harper's artwork. When asked to describe his unique visual style, Charley responded: "When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don't 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; 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.", "I tried to start off like a good artist-naturalist should, by doing my field work," said Charley Harper, probably the only wildlife artist in America who has never been compared to Audubon. "But by the time I had aimed and focused the binoculars, the bird was long gone. I could never get close enough to count the feathers in the wings, so I just count the wings. I can get the birds in my binoculars now, but the more I learn about nature, the more I have to ask myself: Can a nature lover ever find true happiness at the top of the food chain?", Renowned designer, Todd Oldham described Charley Harper's work as "a marvel, brilliant in a way I had never seen before," possessing a "lyrically joyous style" with "a remarkable and exquisite color sense" adding 'Charley's inspired yet accurate color sense is undeniable, and when combined with the precision he exacts on rendering only the most important details, one is always left with a sense of awe." Charley Harper received much recognition and many awards during his long and amazing career in the arts. December 8, 2006, was proclaimed by Cincinnati's mayor as Charley Harper Day. In 2003, the Sharonville Fine Arts Council awarded Harper a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2007, an exhibition of the Harpers' early work was held at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Shortly prior to his death, the Cornell Ornithology Lab commissioned Mr. Harper to undertake a painting to celebrate the Lab's relationship with birds. In 2011, the first exhibition of Harper's works in Germany took place at Kunstverein Hamburg., Charley Harper died in Cincinnati on June 10, 2007 at the age of 84. He was survived by his beloved wife, Edie, who died in 2010, and his son, Brett. Mr. Harper's remains were interred in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. The City of Buckhannon, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and ART26201 shall forever honor and celebrate the artistic genius and rich legacy of Charley Harper who once graced our streets of Buckhannon., Dedicated by the City of Buckhannon, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and ART26201 on Charley Harper Day