Charley Harper

Explore the work of Cincinnati artist Charley Harper (1922 – 2007) in the Concourse B Food Court and you will see that he had a unique way of looking at nature. A conservationist as well as an artist, Harper revealed unique aspects of wildlife through highly-stylized geometric designs.

"When I look at a wildlife, I don't see feathers, fur, scapulars or tail coverts,” Harper said. “I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures.” There is a rare and delightful playfulness in Harper's artwork. He believed that humor makes it easier to encourage change in our awareness of environmental concerns.

Raised on a West Virginia farm, Harper developed an early appreciation of animals as well as design. He graduated from the Cincinnati Art Academy, where he also taught for many years. Gradually he began to lose interest in realism — feeling shackled by the constant attempt to create the illusion of three dimensions. “Wildlife art has been dominated by realism,” he said. “But I have chosen to do it differently because I think flat, hard-edge, and simple."