Charley Harper was a celebrated American modernist artist and illustrator based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Born in 1922, Harper developed a signature style he described as “minimal realism,” capturing the spirit and personality of wildlife using bold colors, simple shapes, and geometric forms. Rather than focusing on intricate details, Harper distilled each subject down to its most essential elements, often with a sense of humor and whimsy that made his work both accessible and deeply engaging. His art has appeared in countless books, posters, and prints, and he remains especially beloved for his vibrant depictions of birds, insects, and other elements of nature.
RCS Gifts honors his legacy by incorporating his art into a range of beautifully crafted garden and home décor pieces. These include functional and decorative items like birdhouses, wind chimes, chime bells, and keepsake ornaments—all featuring Harper’s unmistakable style.
“Many people view the grinning skull as an unpleasant reminder of their mortality, but to house wrens an empty cranium is just another home-site with a domed ceiling. In 1888, a Kentucky doctor reported that a skull he had saved as a souvenir of medical school and hung on the back porch had been remodeled by wrens. It was still occupied in 1945 when his son moved the skull to his garage in Indiana, where it was promptly re-wrented. Home is where the heart is, even if it’s a transplant.”
–Charley Harper
“A cat in the water? The Bengal tiger likes it and you would too if you had to wear a fur coat in the steamy jungle. But when your coat is a status symbol, many would help you off with it. One maharajah helped 1150 tigers off with their coats. Others, to remain competitive, included cubs and fetuses in their tallies. In this century, hunting and habitat destruction have dramatically decreased the Bengal count. Keep cool, big Bengal—and beware of man, the ominous omnivore.
–Charley Harper
Psst! A Red-Bellied Woodpecker!
How can you tell?
Red crown, zebra back, white belly.
I thought you said Red-Bellied.
I did.
But you just now said white belly.
That’s right.
But which…I mean how…I mean, if this is true, who can ever again believe in the Golden-Cheeked Warbler, the White-Throated Sparrow, the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, the Olive-Backed Thrush—?
Psst! A Red-Headed Woodpecker.
–Charley Harper
“It’s no Jacuzzi, but a dirty bird’s never choosey. And if you provide warm water in your birdbath on cold mornings, you’ll turn it into the neighborhood hot tub. Who, you may ask, except for The Polar Bear Club, would go skinny-dipping on a snowy day? Well, how would you like to go all winter without a bath? Like all aviators, the cardinal must regularly clean and preen his flying machine. But how can he dry himself without a towel? Maybe freeze-dry?”
–Charley Harper
“Are all ladybugs ladies? Apparently not, for a single ladybug—I mean she can’t be, you know, single, but well, you know what I mean—becomes a great-great-grandmother an astronomical number of times in one summer. I don’t mean to imply that this makes her any less ladylike. What I mean is that all ladybugs can’t, you know, be ladies if—I mean there must be some, you know, gentlemen around it—you know, I’m beginning to be sorry I brought it up.”
–Charley Harper
“A Cardinal adds his blazing exclamation point at the end of a fresh snowfall. The Christmas Count reveals that this scene is becoming increasingly common because the Cardinal is expanding his range northward, apparently to relieve Redbird population pressure in the South. Sunflower seed will keep him coming to your feeding station. Excuse the napkin under the chin—no lap.”
–Charley Harper
“Sleep…the purrfurred portion of the feline day (cats both domestic and wild). With nary a tense muscle or twitch—the calico housecat, tiger, jaguar, cheetah, leopard, puma, bobcat, lynx, ocelot, and a few other cats that have escaped my mind—display a sense of safety amid their surroundings, saving energy while in purrfect repose.”
–Charley Harper
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