View works by master illustrator and artist Charley Harper (1922-2007) whose life-long love of nature inspired his work. Harper was best known for his highly stylized wildlife prints, posters and book illustrations. He called his style “minimal realism," capturing the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements. Using graphic shapes and bold colors, Harper distilled and simplified complex elements. His nature-oriented artwork is often contrasted with the realism of John James Audubon and the simplicity found in Inuit Art. Harper used many media in his artwork, though he is best known for his serigraph prints. Best known for the children's book The Golden Book of Biology, Harper was an extraordinarily prolific graphic designer contributing his unique, geometric style to a wide range of publications. He also created interpretive displays and “bio” posters for many nature-based organizations, including the National Park Service and Cincinnati Zoo. This is the first exhibit of Harper’s work in Virginia and is built around the personal collection of Museum Executive Director Page Hayhurst and her family. Includes artwork by fifth grade students at Deer Park Elementary School based on Charley Harper’s techniques. Hands-on art activities based on Harper’s style include tangrams, large puzzles, alphabet art table and rubbing stations. The exhibit is supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Newport News Arts Commission.

12/2/09 11:57 AM