Starting a Countdown to Halloween with This Stand-Up Guy!
Welcome to our countdown to Halloween! To kick off this spooky occasion is Charley Harper’s Scarecrow:
Charley Harper Scarecrow
This design is one of Harper’s more muted pieces, but still beautiful in its simplicity. Scarecrow’s softer, more tinted blues and greys provide a sharp opposition to the crisp black color of the crows. Harper is known for working with extremely bright and vibrant colors, which is why this piece provides such a stark contrast to his portfolio.
Another interesting difference in this giclée is seen in the shapes that Harper used. The scarecrow has largely straight and geometric lines that compose its structure, but the little wispy strokes of the hay straws give a visual aesthetic of wily, chaotic curved lines that intersect and overlap. While the geometric shapes provide a sense of rigidity to this constructed scarecrow, Harper is still able to capture a beautiful sense of movement that makes this hay-man decently realistic.
Scarecrows have an interesting history and cultural significance throughout pop-culture. Some of the earliest scarecrows were noted in Egypt. They acted more as a net holder that farmers would gather birds in, than to just stand in a field and scare birds off by themselves.
The more familiar concept of the scarecrow known today started in ancient Greece. Grecian farmers made a wooden figure in the likeness of Priapus, a Greek fertility god who was the son of Dionysus. This figure was made to scare off birds while honoring this god to bless the farmers with high-yielding crops.
The more modern structure of cloth stuffed with hay began in Japan, inspired by the Kuebiko spirits. Kuebiko are Shinto gods who contain great knowledge and wisdom, but stand frozen, acting as guardians to farmers’ crops.
While scarecrows can still be seen in the some rice patties or farm lands throughout Asia, they have largely become pop icons in western cultures. Whether you like wholesome and cute, or scary and creepy, scarecrows have become a staple during spooky season! Making scarecrows is an easy holiday craft for little kiddos, or they can make for a horrifying Halloween costume.
Because these out-standing guys are such staples in Halloween décor, this piece by Charley Harper is a great starter for our Ooky Spooky Halloween Countdown! Check back tomorrow for our next scary Harper spotlight!
