Harry Bliss, 1964 | Famous Artist's Modeling Agency | Masterpiece

Harry Bliss is a United States cartoonist and illustrator.

Bliss grew up in New York State among an artistic family. His sister Rachel Bliss and brother Charlie Bliss, and father Jack Bliss are all artists. He studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and studied illustration at the University of the Arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts and at Syracuse University earning an M.A.

Bliss has illustrated many books and produces cartoons and 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 all by Doreen Cronin. Bliss' self-titled cartoon collection Death by Laughter with an introduction by Christopher Guest was published in 2008.

Harry Bliss | Modigliani, Léger, Munch, Picasso and Whistler cartoon

In 2008 Bliss published Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken (Harper Collins) by Kate DiCamillo followed by Luke on the Loose (Toon Books) in 2009. Bliss has a syndicated single-paned comic titled Bliss. Bliss is syndicated through Tribune Media Services and appears in over 50 newspapers in the United States and Japan.

As of the mid-2000s, 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 contributed a 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 2008 Bliss contributed a 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.

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 cruelty to animals. McDonald's, Ringling Brother's Circus and Kentucky Fried Chicken are among the prime targets of Bliss' and PETAs efforts.

Bailey, a picture book written and illustrated by Bliss will be published by Scholastic in the Fall of 2011. | © Wikipedia