Todd Oldham recently worked with Fishs Eddy to launch a new collection of Charley Harper dinnerware and glassware. As the collection debuts, The New York Times interviews Oldham about his relationship with Harper, the prolific illustrator who died in 2007. Oldham first discovered Harper's work at the age of 5, through illustrations in a biology book. 40 years later, he rediscovered Harper's illustrations in a junk store and helped to revive the artist's career with the publication of the monograph "Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life." Links to full interview and more news below.
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I've been a Charlie Harper fan for years, and lived in Cincinnati where Charlie and family lived (his wife and son still live there). Todd Oldham did not revive Charlie's career! Where did you get that? Charlie's career was robust and his work, including his illustrations in Ford Times in the '50s and '60s, was known world-wide.
Big Charley Harper fan here, thanks for this post!
There is no info on what the dishes are made from - and I'd hate to end up with melamine - any insight? Anyone held one of these beautiful plates?? I'd love to hear about it.
So excited about this! Huge fan of both,Charlie & Todd, and now I can add to my collection of fun dishes. There will be many happy mornings drinking my orange juice from these glasses!
I have to second abcornwell's comment that Oldham's impact on Harper's career is often overstated. Charley Harper was well-known and prolific for years and years before the publication of the monograph. I think Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life is a great capstone to a storied career, not any kind of revival.
I currently live in Cincinnati, where I know many more people who have grown up with Harper's work than who have ever heard of Todd Oldham. It's amazing to meet so many Charley Harper fans, many of whom have personal stories of having met him and also have been collecting his work for years.
On a side note, one of the plates features a fish from the Ford Times series of Harper prints, and it's actually based on a really early commission, done a couple of years after he graduated from art school. You can see it and read the full story here:
http://fabframes.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/the-incredible-tale-of-a-long-lost-charley-harper-painting/
Fabulous Frames & Art, by the way, has been championing Harper's work since the 1970s, much longer than Oldham has.