Buckhannon in Upshur County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Homebody

Public Art

Photographed by Bradley Owen, March 10, 2025

1. Homebody Marker

Inscription.
Location #6A
Charley Harper • Homebody • 1972 • Serigraph
Artist Statement

"When the meek inherit the earth, the Box Turtle will surely be king. Introvert of the underbrush, Mr. Milquetoast of the meadow, his carapace is his castle. Don't stick your neck out past the drawbridge and you won't get involved. Like a man with a mortgage, though, he can't get the house off his back. A roof overhead is handy when the Towhees next door dump their leaves, but, crossing a 4-lane highway, wouldn't you like to leave your house at home?" - Charley Harper

Artist Biography

Charley Harper (August 4, 1922 - June 10, 2007) was a Cincinnati-based American Modernist artist. He was born in Frenchton, West Virginia, and attended West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Harper's upbringing on his family farm influenced his work to his last days, and we celebrate him as West Virginia's most well-known native graphic artist.

Best known for his highly stylized wildlife prints, posters and book illustrations, Charley created thousands of bold, stunningly colorful works that manage to be both elegant and amusing.

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He revealed the unique aspects of his wildlife subjects through highly stylized geometric reduction in a style that he coined "minimal realism." Charley said he was "the only wildlife artist who has never been compared to Audubon," yet his wildlife art was just as instructive - the only difference was that Charley laced his lessons with humor.

Erected 2019 by www.ART26201.com. (Marker Number 6A.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1972.

Location. 38° 59.64′ N, 80° 13.712′ W. Marker is in Buckhannon, West Virginia, in Upshur County. It is on Traders Alley south of East Main Street (County Route 151), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 39 East Main Street, Buckhannon WV 26201, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Central West Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

Photographed by Bradley Owen, March 10, 2025

2. Homebody Marker

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Shadow Dancers (here, next to this marker); Charles Burton "Charley" Harper (here, next to this marker); Unzipped (a few steps from this marker); Ladybugs Hibernating (a few steps from this marker); Stockert Building / People's Grocery & Home Hardware (a few steps from this marker); Dairy Queen / Buckhannon City Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Monkey Mural (within shouting distance of this marker); Leonard Mactaggart "Pare" Lorentz (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Buckhannon.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 107 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 2, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.