Artist Profile: Alan E. Cober

Alan E. Cober (1935–1998) was born in New York City, and attended the University of Vermont and the School of Visual Arts. An illustrator for over 30 years, he also taught at the State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of Georgia, and the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla. His artwork appeared in many publications including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic Monthly, Life and Time. He also illustrated “Cober’s Animals”, a series of children’s books. Alan was one of the first American artists to create conceptual illustrations that served to interpret rather than mirror a text; a style of illustration that is today standard for most publications. Alan was inducted into The Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame in June of 2011.