Charley Harper in 1958.

Ah, Birdie.  

Throughout last season and this season there are framed Morton Salt ads in most everyones offices. In the last episode an ad is shown in Peggy’s office that is illustrated by Charley Harper (I’ve been waiting to see it for nearly a year!).

Harper was an illustrator for Procter & Gamble, Ivory, Morton Salt and Ford Times magazine. You can see his lush commercial work here.  In the sixties he moved to drawing minimalist nature scenes and created a style that is defined the Modernist Mid Century: sleek lines, loud colors, and the fewest amount of visual elements. He called the style ‘minimal realism’. 

 When asked to describe his unique visual style, Charley responded:

“When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don’t see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe.”

• footnote - by Jim Hughes