Constantinos "Ted" CoConis (born 1927 in
South Side, Chicago, Illinois) is an American illustrator and painter who worked on many children's books, including the 1971
Newbery Award
The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...
-winning ''
The Summer of the Swans
''Summer of the Swans'' is a children's novel by Betsy Byars about fourteen-year-old Sara Godfrey's search for her missing, mentally challenged brother Charlie. It won the Newbery Medal in 1971.
''Summer of the Swans'' was adapted for television ...
'' by
Betsy Cromer Byars
Betsy Byars (née Cromer; August 7, 1928 – February 26, 2020) was an American author of children's books. Her novel '' Summer of the Swans'' won the 1971 Newbery Medal.Author's website She has also received a National Book Award for Young Pe ...
, and ''The Golden God, Apollo'' by
Doris Gates
Doris Gates (November 26, 1901 – September 3, 1987) was one of America's first writers of realistic children's fiction. Her novel ''Blue Willow'', about the experiences of Janey Larkin, the ten-year-old daughter of a migrant farm worker in 19 ...
.
[Fielding, Mantle. 1983. "Coconis, Constantinos Ted". Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors & Engravers.][Weinberg, Robert E. 1988. "Coconis, Ted". A Biographical Dictionary of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists.] He is the creator of well-known movie posters, book covers, and magazine and story illustrations, for which he was inducted into the Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame.
In 1980, he left the world of illustration to pursue a career as a fine artist.
[Tudor, Silke (2013). ''Splendeurs des courtisanes: The art of Ted CoConis''. Hi-Fructose Art Magazine, Vol. 26, pp. 99-107.]
Early life
The son of immigrants, CoConis's mother recognized and encouraged her son's artistic talents from an early age. He was awarded a scholarship to the
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
while still in grade school.
[''Sedona Monthly Magazine. (November 2015, pp. 42-46). Open portfolio: Ted Coconis. www.sedonamonthly.com''] In 1942, with the advent of WWII and at the young age of 15, he joined the
US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
, having altered his baptismal record to do so. After receiving an honorary discharge two years later, he enrolled in Chicago's American Academy of Arts, only to then join the
U.S. Merchant Marine a year later.
After returning stateside, an Air Force Colonel with whom CoConis had worked earlier encouraged him to apply for a position in the publicity department of the Fifth Army in Chicago. There, he created magazine covers, brochures, and recruiting posters for the Army. Later in his career, he was commissioned to create the cover illustrations for the handbook that outlined major programs being pursued to equip the army of the 21st century. The US Army and Air Force both commissioned paintings that now hang in the
Pentagon
In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°.
A pentagon may be simpl ...
.
[Washington, Rico S. (2011, July 7.) ''Living off the map with artist & illustrator Ted CoConis.'' Art Nouveau, Art & Culture Magazine.]
In the early 1950s, CoConis transferred to the Sixth Army in San Francisco as an illustrator and started doing freelance work. His work attracted the attention of Al Chaite who was associated with a notable commercial art studio in New York City, and CoConis accepted a full-time position with the studio.
Work as an Illustrator
While working with Chaite, CoConis became connected with well-known accounts; he built up a reputation within the industry as a talented illustrator for major magazines such as ''
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
'', ''
Good Housekeeping
''Good Housekeeping'' is an American women's magazine featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, and health, as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good House ...
'' and ''
Reader’s Digest
''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...
'' as well as for book covers and story illustrations, movie posters, and album covers.
Having developed a considerable reputation, by the mid-1960s CoConis was able to establish himself as a freelance artist and work out of his own studio in CT.
He illustrated a number of children's books, including the 1971 Newberry Award-winning “The Summer of the Swans” by
Betsy Cromer Byars
Betsy Byars (née Cromer; August 7, 1928 – February 26, 2020) was an American author of children's books. Her novel '' Summer of the Swans'' won the 1971 Newbery Medal.Author's website She has also received a National Book Award for Young Pe ...
and “The Golden God'','' Apollo” by
Doris Gates
Doris Gates (November 26, 1901 – September 3, 1987) was one of America's first writers of realistic children's fiction. Her novel ''Blue Willow'', about the experiences of Janey Larkin, the ten-year-old daughter of a migrant farm worker in 19 ...
. He created the covers for such well-known books as
Nelson Algren
Nelson Algren (born Nelson Ahlgren Abraham; March 28, 1909 – May 9, 1981) was an American writer. His 1949 novel ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' won the National Book Award and was adapted as the 1955 film of the same name.
Algren articulated ...
’s “A Walk on the Wild Side” (1960), “Ada, or Ardor” (1969), one of
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (russian: link=no, Владимир Владимирович Набоков ; 2 July 1977), also known by the pen name Vladimir Sirin (), was a Russian-American novelist, poet, translator, and entomologist. Bo ...
's masterpieces,
William Goldman
William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a novelist before turning to screenwriting. He won Academy Awards for his screenplays '' ...
’s “The Princess Bride” (1973), and
A.C.H. Smith’s “Labyrinth” (1986). CoConis also provided interior illustrations for some of
James Michener
James Albert Michener ( or ; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American writer. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were long, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and ...
's novels published in Reader's Digest condensed books,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
and
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
being among these.
During this period CoConis also provided illustrations for film posters, a number of which received
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, and record album covers for popular and classic performers and orchestras including
Della Reese
Delloreese Patricia Early (July 6, 1931 – November 19, 2017), known professionally as Della Reese, was an American jazz and gospel singer, actress, and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades. She began her long career as a s ...
,
Doris Day
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
,
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman ( he, יצחק פרלמן; born August 31, 1945) is an Israeli-American violinist widely considered one of the greatest violinists in the world. Perlman has performed worldwide and throughout the United States, in venues that hav ...
,
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy (born Jenő Blau; November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and violinist, best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as its music director. His 44-year association wit ...
, and the
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription ...
.
Some of the most celebrated/famous/iconic are those listed below. His earlier work with
Jim Henson
James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...
and the
Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...
(1974), led to CoConis being asked to illustrate the movie poster for
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the ...
(1986).
Posters
*
Petulia
''Petulia'' is a 1968 British-American drama film directed by Richard Lester and starring Julie Christie, George C. Scott and Richard Chamberlain. The film has a screenplay by Lawrence B. Marcus from a story by Barbara Turner and is based on t ...
(1968)
*
Finian's Rainbow
''Finian's Rainbow'' is a musical with a book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane, produced by Lee Sabinson. The original 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances, while a film version was re ...
(1968)
*
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
*
Dorian Gray
''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical '' Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''The Picture of Dorian G ...
(1970)
*
Fiddler on the Roof
''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on ''Tevye and his Daughters'' (or ''Tevye the ...
(1971)
*
Man of La Mancha
''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay ''I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes ...
(1972)
*
Lady Caroline Lamb
Lady Caroline Lamb (née Ponsonby; 13 November 1785 – 25 January 1828) was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and novelist, best known for ''Glenarvon'', a Gothic novel. In 1812 she had an affair with Lord Byron, whom she described as "mad, bad, and ...
(1972)
*
Breezy (1973)
The Muppet Valentine Show(1974)
*
A Matter of Time (1976)
*
Joseph Andrews
''The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams'', was the first full-length novel by the English author Henry Fielding to be published and among the early novels in the English language. Appearing in 1742 ...
(1977)
*
The Other Side of Midnight
''The Other Side of Midnight'' is a novel by American writer Sidney Sheldon published in 1973. The book reached No. 1 on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list.
It was made into a 1977 film, and followed by a sequel written by Sheldon tit ...
(1977)
*
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
(1979)
*
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the ...
(1986)
Record Album Covers
Man of La Mancha Original Motion Picture Soundtrack(1972)
*
Weldon Irvine's Sinbad (1976)
* Odyssey (1977)
Hair (Spanish version)(1979)
*
Labyrinth (Original Soundtrack of the Jim Henson film) (1986)
Work as a Fine Artist
CoConis began working independently as a fine artist in 1980. He noted in various interviews that he felt it was time to do his own paintings and have control over his creative decisions.
Since that time, he and his spouse and creative partner, Kristen, have spent several months each year in France and of late also in Greece, where he produces sketches ''
en plein air
''En plein air'' (; French for 'outdoors'), or ''plein air'' painting, is the act of painting outdoors.
This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The theory of 'En plein air' painting ...
''. Returning with the drawings to his studio in Cutler, Maine, or Cedar Key, Florida, he meticulously brings the figures to life on his canvas by painstakingly using oils and pastels or creating graphite drawings.
CoConis's extensive ''Women in Paris'' and ''Exotic Ladies of Rue St. Denis'' series depicts self-possessed, solitary women from different walks of life—courtesans, poets, professors, circus performers, and so forth—content in their solitude. The women are presented in elaborate detail in their real-world settings, such as flower shops, brothels, local cafés, the
Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
or the
Tuileries Garden
The Tuileries Garden (french: Jardin des Tuileries, ) is a public garden located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. Created by Catherine de' Medici as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in ...
.
To quote Tudor, "The power of ''Women in Paris'', as the evolving series of CoConis’s work has come to be known, is the same one that fueled his first illustrations: Every face, every gesture, every choice in clothing and setting tells a story. And within that story, the dignity, discovery, and depth of the human experience is laid bare."
A number of paintings from the ''Women in Paris'' series have been reproduced in magazine articles.
His painting of La Marchesa Luisa Casati appears in the book, ''The Marchesa Casati: Portrait of a Muse,'' as does his poster'', A Matter of Time.''
His work has won numerous awards from the
Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. It was founded in 1901 to promote the art of illustration and, since 1959, has held an annual exhibition.
History
Founding
The Society of Illustrators was founded on ...
, the
Art Directors’ Clubs of New York and Los Angeles, and other associations. His art is in the Museum of Illustration of the Society of Illustrators.
and the United States Air Force Art Collection.
CoConis still looks to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the scholarship he received in grade school as a touchstone for inspiration: “When I was growing up in Chicago, it was a tough kind of life,” CoConis recalls. “The word ‘scholarship’, and what it represented, goes way beyond what it did at the time. It has become something I look back on to give me fortitude to keep trying.”
He notes that he has been groping to learn how to draw and paint for 94 years: “but I never quite achieve what I hope to. That elusive goal always seems to remain slightly beyond my reach.”
In another interview, when asked how he would like to be remembered, CoConis noted that he did not want to be that kind of artist. "When a person is alive—now—and they have collectors and people who love their art…. That’s what I want."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:CoConis, Ted
1927 births
People from Chicago
Living people
CoConis, Ted