The Art of Making A Book
Arts Alivewire: Fall ‘06 Issue
By Deborah Russell
One of Fort Collins own, artist and educator, Bob Coonts, has taken on the art of writing and publishing. Bob Coonts is an internationally known artist, recognized for his unique renditions of horses, people, wildlife and abstract interpretations. He has exhibited his paintings and art throughout the United States and is represented by many regional galleries. Coonts publication documents his evolution as an artist, following his career as a graphic artist, educator and painter of fine art.
Coonts’ latest artistic endeavor has produced an illustrated volume titled, "Inside Out – The Art of Bob Coonts," which is 144 pages, containing more than 150 color images.
This book is designed for art lovers, collectors and anyone who appreciates the beauty of fine art and literature. Coonts’ publication is a compilation of art and words, including insights of his artistic vision, his philosophies of art and his concepts of creativity and is the result of the collaborative efforts of many dedicated individuals, including his wife, Sallie, who assisted Coonts with proof-reading.
A profile of Coonts, included in the book, called "About the Artist" was written by Carol Ann Hixon, a retired English and Humanities teacher, who taught with Poudre School District for more than 20 years. Carol Ann and her husband, Gary Hixon, are friends and patrons of Coonts, who encouraged him to pursue this project. “Gary and I admire and enjoy Bob’s work and we wanted to share our love of his art through this endeavor,” Carol Ann says.
The book’s foreword, titled "About the Art," was written by another close friend of Coonts, Perry Ragouzis, and a CSU Professor Emeritus of Art, who also served as Chair
of the Art Department.
Coonts’ art publication is a bridge that spans the last twelve years of his work. Over the last two years, Carol Ann, Gary and Bob, continued to discuss the possibilities of publication. Carol Ann interviewed Coonts on numerous occasions, carefully recording their conversations. During those times, she and Bob viewed 4"x5" transparencies of his art works
accumulated over the last twelve years. “We kept boiling it down, changing courses when we felt it appropriate and finally settling on the finished book,” Coonts says. “It was quite a process. I had many images to choose from, probably enough to do another book and more, at least.”
Coonts stated the process included separating the book by sections or headings. Rather than working chronologically,
he and Carol Ann decided to select images they felt worked together with the text and those images that best complimented each other in various sections.
“We start the book with horses because I probably do more horses than anything else,” Coonts notes. “We have many animals in the book, both domestic and wild as well as
people and abstract. Selecting the final work was a chore.”
Coonts says the book strives to achieve a unique graphic style: “Most images are large, single-page images and there are also some double-page bleed spreads followed by a large single-page bleed that serves as section or heading changes.”
The design of the book…“helps to create a nice flow and rhythm. We also created white space and double-spaced the typography that invites the reading of the text. Some of the single images have statements written by me, about a particular painting or about my art or art in general.” continues Coonts.
John Schiller, a friend of Bob’s, assisted with the design
of the book. “John’s attention to detail is unmatched.” says Coonts. Adrian Davis, another Fort Collins artist, is the book’s publisher.
“I have had tremendous support from my family and friends in this endeavor,” Coonts says. “I am grateful to Carol Ann and Gary for their support and encouragement. And I could not have done this book without the support of and encouragement from my wife, Sallie.”
Coonts said making the book was a positive learning experience. “I learned a lot about my art in this process. Over the last 12 years, I would do a painting and record it with slides or transparencies and put them into a file. In doing this book, it was interesting to see the work together and then making the selections. It was interesting to get a sense of the work and to see the development, evolution and change in the art and the confidence that comes with this process.”
Bob Coonts has a BA degree from Colorado State University with an emphasis in graphic design and painting, graduating in 1963. Before owning his design business, he worked in
Denver, at several art studios and with advertising agencies.
In 1971, Coonts began working at Colorado State University. He owned and operated his own business, known as, Bob Coonts Graphic Design for over twenty years. Coonts has served as art director and lead designer for CSU’s University Communications and currently teaches an upper division of graphic design to juniors and seniors.
In 1994, Coonts sold his business to a colleague and retired to pursue the direction of fine art. Coonts remarks, “I started painting right away, taking numerous workshops from renowned artists. I participate in numerous shows and am currently represented by several galleries in Colorado as well as Arizona and Utah. I participate in a large exhibition every winter in Scottsdale, AZ. The ten week exhibit is a juried show, held in a large tent which holds approximately one hundred and twenty artists from all over the country. The concept is different for this exhibit, in that, the artists create on site while show-casing their work.”
An extensive exhibit of Coonts’ work will be presented at The Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA, in downtown Fort Collins, and features an overview of Coont’s artistic pursuits. The main exhibit area will house Bob’s paintings; including animals, people and abstracts, while the small gallery will hold an equally strong and interesting collection of his graphic works.
The exhibit opens on November third, coinciding with November’s First Friday Gallery Walk. Coonts unique publication will make its debut during the opening reception, where Coonts will be available to sign copies. This retrospect exhibition of Coonts’ work will be on display through January 2007.
Bob Coonts
