Harry Bliss is an American cartoonist and illustrator.
Bliss grew up in New York State in an artistic family. There are eleven working visual artists in his immediate and extended family. Bliss studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and illustration at the University of the Arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts and later, at Syracuse University an M.A.
Bliss has illustrated many books, produced hundreds of cartoons and 19 covers for The New Yorker. His first book for children, A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech was a New York Times bestseller, as was Diary of a Worm, Diary of a Spider and Diary of a Fly (by Doreen Cronin). Bliss' self-titled cartoon collection Death by Laughter with an introduction by Christopher Guest was published in 2008. In 2008 Bliss published Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken (Harper Collins) by Kate DiCamillo.
Bliss has a syndicated single-paned comic titled Bliss. Bliss is syndicated through Tribune Media Services and appears in over 70 newspapers in the United States, Canada and Japan.
As of 1999 Bliss lives in South Burlington, Vermont.
The May 12, 2008 edition of The New Yorker magazine published in its weekly caption-writing contest a cartoon by that closely resembled Jack Kirby's cover of Tales to Astonish #34 (Aug. 1962). Intended by Bliss as a homage and tribute to Kirby, critics complained that the magazine did not mention Kirby's name. After being notified by readers and the media, the magazine said it would update its website to read, "Drawing by Harry Bliss, after Jack Kirby".
In 2008, Bliss, advised by editorial team Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly, contributed a popular and critically acclaimed Toon Book 'Luke On The Loose,' the first book written and illustrated in comic form by the artist. As of 2008 Bliss has served on the board of directors for The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction Vermont.
In 2010 a New Yorker cover by Bliss 'Paint by Pixels' was compared to Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post cover 'The Connoisseur'. Author Virginia Mecklenburg writes in Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, "But for those who know The Connoisseur, Bliss's cover goes a step further. The painting they ( a young couple) observe is not a Pollock at all, but a re-creation of Rockwell's Pollock..."
Bliss has been a regular cartoonist for Playboy magazine beginning in 1999. Bliss worked with Michelle Urry at Playboy. Urry, a strong advocate for cartoonists like Gahan Wilson, Jules Feiffer and Arnold Roth, was responsible for getting Bliss's cartoons into the hands of editor Hugh Hefner. Bliss dedicated 'Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken' to Urry after her untimely death in 2006.
As an animal rights activist, Bliss has regularly contributed covers for PETA's Animal Times magazine and designed sculptures for PETA that have appeared in major American cities in an ongoing effort to stop animal suffering. McDonald's, Ringling Brother's Circus and Kentucky Fried Chicken are among the prime targets of Bliss' and PETAs efforts.
'Bailey', a picture book for children written and illustrated by Bliss was published by Scholastic in the Fall of 2011 and followed by 'Bailey At the Museum' in 2012. Bliss went on to illustrate 'Anna and Solomon' published by FSG (written by his mother-in-law, Elaine Snyder). In April 2015 'Grandma in Blue With Red Hat' - illustrated by Bliss, will be published by Abrams.
Bliss, along with fellow artist, Nora Krug were the recipients of the 2014 Maurice Sendak Fellowship
Since 2004 Bliss has visited many schools and interacted with thousands of children all over the world teaching comics/drawing/satire. Bliss has travelled to Peru, Bucharest, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Singapore, Dubai and the United States. The goal with these school visits is to demonstrate the need for creating thinking through drawing. With accessible language for kids and educators and aided by a fun interactive 'scribble' game, Bliss seeks to illuminate perception based on the act of drawing.
Publications
- A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
- A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee
- Countdown To Kindergarten by Alison McGhee
- Death by Laughter by Harry Bliss (Introduction by Christopher Guest)
- Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
- Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
- Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin
- Don't Forget To Come Back by Robie H. Harris
- Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo
- Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee
- Which Would You Rather Be? by William Steig
- Luke On The Loose' written and illustrated by Harry Bliss 2008 Toon Books NYC
- 'Invisible Inkling' by Emily Jenkins (Harper Collins 2011)
- Bailey' by Harry Bliss (Scholastic Inc. 2011)
- Anna & Solomon by Elaine Snyder (Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2014)
References
- http://darkpartyreview.blogspot.com/2007/02/5-questions-about-harry-bliss.html
- http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051123/NEWS/511230388/1006/SPORTS
- http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010307260052
http://www.vermontguides.com/2014/bliss1114.html http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/cover-story-2015-04-13
External links
- Official website
- Biography at Visiting Authors
- Bliss at Lambiek Comiclopedia (2006)
- Harry Bliss at Library of Congress Authorities, with 22 catalog records (2001รข€"2015)
