Artist, illustrator, and teacher Alan Cober studied at the University of Vermont, the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, and the Pratt Graphics Center. After a brief stint as a men’s fashion illustrator, he moved into newspaper, magazine, and book illustration. As the demand for artist-illustrators decreased, he began to devote more of his time to fine art. He taught at the Silvermine College of Art, Parson’s School of Design, the University of Buffalo, the University of Georgia, and the Ringling School of Art and Design. He has also lectured and held workshops across the United States.

Cober’s fine art and illustrations were strongly influenced by Ben Shahn and George Grosz, both in their linear style and their focus on social themes. His work has been featured on the covers of Time and Newsweek, and also appeared on the pages of Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Life, Sports Illustrated, and Atlantic Monthly. His work is also held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut, and the Library of Congress.