Thinking of traveling to a national park this summer? In addition to being prime time for outdoor exploration, August is American Artists Appreciation Month and the National Park Service’s (NPS) centennial month. Even if you can’t swing a national park trip, Charley Harper’s nature-oriented prints can take you there.
West Virginia-born, Cincinnati-based artist Charley Harper (1922-2007) is beloved for his highly stylized interpretive artwork. In the 1980s and early 1990s, NPS commissioned him to illustrate the wildlife of our parks. Based upon his cross-country travels and the stimuli of nature, Harper produced a 10-poster series in his trademark minimalist, geometric style. Four of those eye-catching renderings—Alpine Northwest, Atlantic Barrier Islands, Canyon Country, and The Rocky Mountains—are available through GPO.
Alpine Northwest—a bald eagle lords over his dominion, representing Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks.
Atlantic Barrier Islands
—marine birds skirt along shifting bodies of sand and white-tipped tides that one could find on Fire Island, Assateague, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Cumberland Island, and Biscayne National Park.
Canyon Country (Large Version)—the American Southwest’s dizzyingly high pinnacles, buttes, and mesas are a signature of the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and the like.
The Rocky Mountains (Large Version)—a beaver drinks at a pond that reflects the landscape of the great Continental Divide. 
It’s quite remarkable how Harper’s compositions use shapes to imaginatively depict an entire ecosystem. Bold colors and whimsical lines will brighten a schoolroom, playroom, breakroom, workroom, any room. Each one takes you to a corner of our country’s public lands. Celebrate American artistry and the past 100 years of national parks with Charley Harper’s tribute to wild, enchanted America.
HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE CHARLEY HARPER POSTERS?
Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.
- Click here to purchase Alpine Northwest (Poster)
- Click here to purchase Atlantic Barrier Islands (Poster)
- Click here to purchase Canyon Country (Poster)
- Click here to purchase The Rocky Mountains (Poster)
- Click here to browse our Travel & Tourism Posters collection
Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.
Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.
Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.
About the author: Blogger contributor Chelsea Milko is a Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.
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