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Ted CoConis
Ted CoConis
Ted CoConis
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Constantinos "Ted" CoConis (August 31, 1927 – March 28, 2023) was an American illustrator and painter who worked on many children's books, including the 1971 Newbery Award-winning The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Cromer Byars, and The Golden God, Apollo by Doris Gates.[1][2] 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.[1][2][3] In 1980, he left the world of illustration to pursue a career as a fine artist.[1][2][4]

Key Information

Early life

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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 while still in grade school.[3][4][5] In 1942, with the advent of WWII and at the young age of 15, he joined the US Air Force, 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.[3][4][5]

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.[6] The US Army and Air Force both commissioned paintings that now hang in the Pentagon.[7]

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.[3][7]

Work as an illustrator

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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, Good Housekeeping and Reader’s Digest as well as for book covers and story illustrations, movie posters, and album covers.[7] 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.[7]

CoConis illustrated a number of children's books, including the 1971 Newberry Award-winning The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Cromer Byars[8] and The Golden God: Apollo by Doris Gates.[9] He created the covers for such well-known books as Nelson Algren’s A Walk on the Wild Side (1960), Ada, or Ardor (1969) by Vladimir Nabokov, and William Goldman’s The Princess Bride (1973). CoConis also provided interior illustrations for some of James Michener's novels published in Reader's Digest condensed books, including Texas and Alaska.[3][10]

During this period CoConis also provided illustrations for film posters, a number of which received Academy Awards,[11][12] and record album covers for popular and classic performers and orchestras including Della Reese, Doris Day, Itzhak Perlman, Eugene Ormandy, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.[13][14] Some of the most celebrated/famous/iconic are those listed below. His earlier work with Jim Henson and the Muppet Show (1974), led to CoConis being asked to illustrate the movie poster for Labyrinth (1986).[15][16] The image was also used on the cover of A.C.H. Smith’s novelization of the movie

Posters

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Record album covers

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Work as a fine artist

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"Une Soirée Enchantée" Painting by Ted CoConis, Private Collection
"Une Soirée Enchantée" Painting by Ted CoConis, Private Collection

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.[7][5][4] 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. 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.[7]

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 or the Tuileries Garden.[3][17] 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."[3]

A number of paintings from the Women in Paris series have been reproduced in magazine articles.[3][4][5][7] 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.[18]

His work has won numerous awards from the Society of Illustrators, 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.[3] and the United States Air Force Art Collection.[19]

Throughout his life, CoConis looked 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 recalled. “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.”[20] He noted that he has been striving 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.”[3] 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."[5]

Death

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CoConis died in Cedar Key, Florida on March 28, 2023, at the age of 95.[21]

References

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Ted CoConis

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Ted CoConis was an American illustrator and fine artist known for his distinctive movie posters, book covers, magazine illustrations, and later personal series of oil paintings depicting women in Paris. His commercial work during the 1960s and 1970s included posters for films such as Fiddler on the Roof, Man of La Mancha, Dorian Gray, and Labyrinth, alongside covers for books like Ada by Vladimir Nabokov, The Princess Bride by William Goldman, and The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars, as well as contributions to publications including Playboy, Reader’s Digest, and Cosmopolitan. In 1980 he shifted away from commercial illustration to pursue independent fine art, creating extensive series such as Women in Paris and Exotic Ladies of Rue St. Denis, which portrayed solitary, dignified women in detailed everyday settings through thin oil glazes in the tradition of the Old Masters. He was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame and received numerous awards from the Society of Illustrators and the Art Directors Clubs of New York and Los Angeles. Born in 1927 in Chicago, Illinois, to Polish and Greek immigrant parents, CoConis demonstrated precocious talent by earning a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago while still in grade school. His youth included enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps at age 15 by altering his baptismal record, followed by an honorable discharge in 1944, brief service in the Merchant Marine, and early illustration work for the U.S. Army in Chicago and later in San Francisco. He studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago before moving in 1950 to San Francisco for military illustration assignments and initial freelance commissions, then relocated to New York City in 1958 to join Al Chaite’s studio, where he created record album covers, advertising art, and story illustrations for clients such as Pan Am and Dr. Pepper. By 1961 he established his own freelance studio in Weston, Connecticut, handling diverse projects for ABC, Avon Books, Chevrolet, Exxon, IBM, United Artists, Warner Brothers, and others, with a reputation for capturing psychological depth and character in his work. From the 1980s onward, CoConis and his longtime partner Kristen lived between Florida and Maine while traveling annually to Paris and Greece, where he sketched en plein air and studied masterworks in the Louvre to refine his technique. His fine art focused on portraying self-possessed women—courtesans, poets, performers, and ordinary figures—in authentic environments such as cafés, gardens, and museums. He continued painting until his death on March 28, 2023, at age 95 of natural causes at his home and studio in Cedar Key, Florida.

Early life

Birth and family background

Ted CoConis, born Constantinos CoConis, was born on August 31, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the youngest of three children born to Peter CoConis, a Greek immigrant, and Lillian CoConis, a Polish immigrant. His siblings were Paul CoConis and Mamie CoConis. His mother recognized and encouraged his artistic abilities early on.

Education and early artistic development

While still in grade school, CoConis received a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1942, at age 15, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps by altering his baptismal record. He received an honorable discharge in 1944 after his father revealed his true age. After his discharge, he took classes at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He also served briefly in the U.S. Merchant Marine. At age 18, he began working as an illustrator in the publicity department of the Fifth Army in Chicago, creating magazine covers, brochures, and posters. In 1950, he moved to San Francisco and continued as an illustrator with the Sixth Army while beginning to accept freelance commissions for clients including Lucky Stores, Disneyland, and Sunset Magazine.

Career

Early illustration and commercial work

Ted CoConis began his professional illustration career in his late teens following a youthful period of adventure and informal artistic development. He received a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago during his grade school years but abandoned formal education at age 15 to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps by altering his age records; after the deception was discovered, he received an honorable discharge at age 17. He then served as a seaman in the Merchant Marine, during which he continued drawing extensively. Upon returning to the United States, CoConis secured a position at age 18 in the publicity department of the Fifth Army in Chicago, where he produced illustrations for magazine covers, brochures, and posters. He later recalled the role as being “way over my head” given his limited experience at the time. He subsequently took a similar position at the Presidio in San Francisco, where he refined his approach with a strong emphasis on design, developing what has been described as the “California approach to illustration.” His growing reputation as a designer and draftsman led to freelance commissions in the early 1950s, after he had worked in an art studio in San Francisco. These opportunities soon drew the attention of Chaite Studio in New York, prompting his relocation to the East Coast. By 1961, CoConis had established his own freelance studio in Weston, Connecticut.

Film and television poster art

Ted CoConis established himself as a notable poster artist in the film industry, contributing key artwork to promotional campaigns for a variety of theatrical releases and one television production from 1968 to 1986. His credits in the art department primarily consist of poster artist roles, with one instance also including concept art. CoConis's film poster work began in 1968 with designs for Petulia and Finian's Rainbow, followed by The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969 and Dorian Gray in 1970. He created the poster for the acclaimed musical Fiddler on the Roof in 1971, then continued with Lady Caroline Lamb and Man of La Mancha in 1972, Breezy in 1973, and A Matter of Time in 1976. His 1970s credits also encompassed Joseph Andrews and The Other Side of Midnight in 1977, Cuba in 1979, and the fantasy film Labyrinth in 1986. For television, he provided both concept art and poster art for the 1974 special The Muppets Valentine Show. CoConis's posters for films such as Fiddler on the Roof, Man of La Mancha, and Labyrinth have been recognized in overviews of American movie poster history, contributing to his reputation as a prominent illustrator whose work appeared on several high-profile releases. His film poster career ran parallel to his book illustration work during this period.

Book illustration and children's literature

Ted CoConis illustrated several children's books during the 1970s, contributing interior artwork that complemented stories for young readers. His most prominent work in this field is the illustrations for The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars, published by Viking Press in 1970. The novel follows fourteen-year-old Sara Godfrey as she navigates boredom, family challenges, and the disappearance of her mentally challenged younger brother Charlie, and CoConis was personally selected by Byars to create the artwork. The book received the John Newbery Medal in 1971, recognizing its distinguished contribution to American children's literature. CoConis's illustrations for The Summer of the Swans reflect the emotional landscape of childhood and adolescence, using evocative imagery to capture the story's themes of empathy, growth, and family dynamics. Reviewers noted the artwork's ability to enhance the narrative's sensitivity toward characters with special needs. He also provided illustrations for The Golden God: Apollo by Doris Gates, published by Viking Press in 1973, a children's book retelling Greek mythology centered on the god Apollo. These projects represent his key engagements with children's literature before shifting focus to other illustration work and later fine art.

Personal life

Family and residences

Ted CoConis was preceded in death by his first wife, Rosemary CoConis. He was survived by his second wife, Kristen CoConis, whom he described as his spouse, creative partner, model, and muse for 50 years. Kristen frequently worked alongside him, and he credited her as a constant presence in his later creative process. CoConis had one daughter, Kit Johnson, who also survived him, along with three granddaughters—Steffanie Magnus, Heather Mullin, and Devonne Kline—and three great-grandchildren—Oliver Magnus, Sloan Magnus, and Charlie Kline. In the later stages of his life and career, CoConis divided his time between two primary residences. He maintained a solar-powered studio nestled among fir trees on the Bold Coast in Cutler, Maine, and a home in the small fishing village of Cedar Key on Florida's Gulf coast. Cedar Key served as his primary home and studio in his final years. He and Kristen CoConis also spent extended periods traveling in Greece and France starting around 1980, often settling in Paris for months at a time to gather sketches and inspiration before returning to their studios in Maine or Florida.

Death

Circumstances and place

Ted CoConis died of natural causes at his home and studio in Cedar Key, Florida, at the age of 95. He had resided in Cedar Key during his later years.

Legacy

Recognition and influence

Ted CoConis received significant recognition from the Society of Illustrators, which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2013 for his contributions to illustration. This honor acknowledged his creation of iconic movie posters such as those for Dorian Gray (1970), Fiddler on the Roof (1971), and Labyrinth (1986), as well as notable book covers and story illustrations. Additional institutional recognition includes two commissioned paintings held in the permanent collection at the Pentagon: one for the United States Army Weapons Systems and another for Integrating Air and Space Programs for the United States Air Force. Following his death in 2023, the Society of Illustrators issued a tribute describing him as a Hall of Fame illustrator and fine artist who would be remembered for his prodigious talent, creativity, artistic integrity, and passion for art, along with his sparkling personality and adventurous spirit. The tribute highlighted the storytelling power in his later Women in Paris series, quoting critic Silke Tudor that every face, gesture, choice in clothing, and setting in these works lays bare the dignity, discovery, and depth of the human experience. His legacy endures through these honors and the lasting impact of his commercial and fine art output in revealing human narratives.
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