Multidisciplinary creative Jim Harper is involved in television production, a Scottish-inspired coffee roastery, and scaling an ice cream brand. His projects emphasize collaboration and curiosity, shaped by his ADHD. Recent efforts include visuals for Papa Ray’s Vintage Vinyl Roadshow and launching Plaid Coffee Roasters.
Jim Harper, a veteran in design with over 35 years of experience, runs Harper’s Bizarre, a design consultancy focused on packaging and branding. He also operates Fine Print Small Press, which recently launched a book on artist Tom Huck at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and is preparing for distribution.
In television, Harper contributes to Season 3 of Papa Ray’s Vintage Vinyl Roadshow, premiering soon on PBS. He provides show graphics and art direction, collaborating with creators Tom and Laura Ray and executive producer Christopher Ryan of Once Films. The series features interviews with record store owners, club owners, and musicians from around the world.
Harper is launching Plaid Coffee Roasters, a coffee roaster and culinary café with Scottish influences, alongside partners who own a bakery and café in Edwardsville. The concept draws from a trip through Scotland, including Loch Ness, the highlands, Pitlochry, St. Andrews, and Edinburgh. Head roaster Trevor Taynor named the brand after plaid patterns observed there. Harper views coffee as a communal ritual, aiming to create a space for social connections with Scottish-inspired food and nods to the Loch Ness Monster.
As chief marketing officer for Clementine’s Ice Cream, a St. Louis brand, Harper helps expand it to new cities while preserving its playful identity. The company features concept-driven collections like The Cryptic Collection for Halloween, Chef’s Cookie Exchange for holidays with chefs from Brooklyn, Kansas City, and St. Louis, and The Winnie the Pooh Collection based on the public domain book. Harper credits a strong team, including CEO Tamara and R&D chefs, for the brand’s growth.
Harper attributes his diverse pursuits to ADHD, calling it both a superpower and challenge. He manages it through time blocking, exercise, and coffee, emphasizing collaboration: “I love creating and collaborating. And I over-do it constantly.”
