Media Contact:
Natasha Ritsma, Director
Schingoethe Center of Aurora University
nritsma@aurora.edu
630-844-6157

Schingoethe Center of Aurora University presents its fall exhibition “Curious By Nature: Works by Charley and Edie Harper”

Featuring over 80 prints as well as original paintings, this exhibition provides a comprehensive look into the whimsical world of artists Charley and Edie Harper.

Image: “Lovey Dovey,” 1978, Charley Harper, serigraph on paper, 14″x14″.

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AURORA, Ill. (September 23, 2021) – The exhibition, “Curious by Nature: Works by Charley and Edie Harper,” is on display at the Schingoethe Center of Aurora University through Friday, December 10, 2021. The Harpers are world famous for their signature style of ‘minimal realism,’ capturing the spirit of their subjects with elegantly sparse visual elements. On loan from the Springfield Museum of Art (Ohio), “Curious By Nature” provides a unique opportunity to view both of the Harpers’ works together, providing a truly immersive, curiosity-provoking experience. The Schingoethe Center is located in the Hill Welcome Center at 1315 Prairie St., in Aurora, Illinois. The museum is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The museum is free and open to the public.

Charley Harper’s work is nature-based, and over his career he created pieces for many environmental organizations, including the National Park Service, Everglades National Park, and the Cincinnati Zoo as well as a groundbreaking series of illustrations for Ford Times. Charley’s work has become part of the public consciousness, having been widely reproduced on merchandise ranging from umbrellas to stationery.

Edie Harper worked in several mediums, including photography, sculpture, textiles and jewelry. This exhibition includes examples of her prints, which also focuses on natural subjects, particularly cats, as well as scenes from biblical stories and childhood memories. Her work has been featured in several shows, including “Minimal Realism” at the Cincinnati Art Museum and “Graphic Content” at Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center.

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About the Schingoethe Center of Aurora University

 The mission of the Schingoethe Center of Aurora University is to foster inquiry, celebrate artistic excellence, preserve and perpetuate Native American cultures, and inspire a lifelong engagement with the visual arts. An agent of and catalyst for teaching and learning on the Aurora University campus, the museum is integral to the academic community. The museum provides cultural and historical enrichment that builds bridges between the classroom and the world beyond.

Building on its tradition of object-based learning, the museum brings people and objects together using interdisciplinary approaches. State-of-the-art exhibition spaces combine with a lecture hall, classroom space, study center, and our library and rare book collection, to facilitate access to the collection. The museum also serves the broader community with unique exhibits and programs. The Schingoethe Center supports Aurora University’s continuous 125-year tradition of valuing the arts. For more information, visit aurora.edu/museum.

About Aurora University

Founded in 1893, Aurora University is a four-year, private, nonprofit, accredited higher education institution offering students a high quality education. The university serves more than 4,000 undergraduate and approximately 2,000 graduate students across more than 50 majors and programs. AU leadership, faculty and staff are committed to the success of our students, offering academic support programs, hands-on learning activities, internships and community partnership opportunities that prepare students to be successful beyond AU.

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