ArtCrush: Harry Bush

Harry Bush was an American artist known for his homoerotic illustrations.
Bush’s meticulously detailed boy next door-style depictions of men made him one of the most notable artists of the era of beefcake magazines.
Born in 1925, Bush served in the United States Navy and United States Air Force during the Second World War.
A self-trained artist, Bush took up illustration as a pastime during the war.
Upon the conclusion of the war, he worked at the Pentagon until the early 1960s. Bush retired from military service at the age of 40, and relocated to Los Angeles, California.
In California, Bush’s artwork was discovered by Bob Mizer, the founder of the Athletic Model Guild. In January 1966, Mizer published Bush’s work for the first time in Physique Pictorial, making Bush the second artist after George Quaintance to be featured in the magazine.
Works by Bush were additionally published in Mr. Sun, In Touch, Stroke, and Drummer.
Before his death, Bush destroyed most of his work.
He died in 1994.