Exhibitions & Events

Leslie Cober is an award-winning illustrator, designer, curator, and educator whose work celebrates optimism, storytelling, and the power of visual communication. Her illustrations have appeared in thousands of assignments for global publications and international initiatives, reflecting her belief in the ability of art to connect people and ideas across cultures.

A passionate advocate for community engagement through the arts, Cober has curated the NYC Parks Art, Culture & Fun series, producing close to 200 public workshops across all five boroughs of New York City. Her artwork was recently featured in Legacy of the Line, a curated exhibition at Farmingdale State University that presented her work alongside that of her late father, renowned illustrator Alan E. Cober, exploring their shared creative lineage and contributions to the history of illustration. Legacy of the Line II travels to Western Connecticut State University, exhibiting the month of September 2026.

Cober has served on numerous international juries representing the United States and was selected to represent the country at the United Nations Climate Conference, where she curated a global poster exhibition in collaboration with the German Consulate. The project showcased artwork from art schools across all five continents, uniting artists worldwide in a shared vision of environmental awareness and creative responsibility.

She currently serves as President of the Society of Illustrators in New York City, where she has curated the Society’s Annual Members Exhibit since 2013. A graduate of the Hartford Art School’s MFA in Illustration program, she now returns as Director of the MFA in Illustration, continuing her commitment to advancing the field through mentorship and visionary leadership.

Her distinguished career also includes years of teaching and inspiring future illustrators at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Western Connecticut State University, along with a legacy as a visiting speaker at universities and colleges across the country, where she encourages students to “think out of the box” and develop a distinctive artistic voice. Through her creative practice, curatorial projects, and academic leadership, Cober continues to bridge art, education, and community - empowering artists to create expressive, purposeful, and impactful visual work.

Most recently, Cober received the NYC OTTY (Our Town Thanks You) Award, presented by New York State Senator José M. Serrano, recognizing leadership and contributions that strengthen New York City’s cultural community.

Credit: University of Hartford

Alan E. Cober (1935 – 1998) was both of his time and ahead of it. An expressionist and satirist, he diverged from the realism and romanticism of his peers. While others drew purely from imagination, Cober’s journalistic approach brought gritty, graphic commentary to American illustration, influencing even institutions like the Society of Illustrators in the late 1960s.

He was among the few illustrators who introduced modern art principles to a post-WWII commercial art world, which was then steeped in sentimentality. Rejecting realistic narrative painting, Cober’s expressive, symbolic style complemented rather than mimicked the texts he illustrated, pioneering an approach now commonplace. His work graced prominent publications, including TIME, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times.

Inspired by the economical line of Ben Shahn and the conceptual acuity of George Grosz, Cober’s loose, linear style often included scrawled text. His notable projects included documenting NASA’s shuttle launches, Pope John Paul’s 1987 U.S. visit, and the 1980 presidential campaign. His groundbreaking book The Forgotten Society (1972), focused on the marginalized, showcased his investigative artistry and belief that narrative art could inform public opinion.

Cober’s journals—filled with everything from quick sketches to fully realized paintings—formed the backbone of his creative process. He drew inspiration from manuscripts, social events, and his surroundings, blending reality with his unique visual language. His passion for drawing extended to personal moments, such as portraits of acquaintances at a local swimming pool.

A descendant of 19th- and early 20th-century artist-journalists, Cober pushed boundaries, navigating the evolving media landscape as traditional outlets for illustration declined. Though he faced challenges, his tenacity led him to explore alternative platforms, such as books and exhibitions.

Cober was also a revered educator, holding positions at the University of Buffalo, the University of Georgia, and the Ringling School of Art. At the time of his death in 1998 at age 63, he was experimenting with clay as an extension of his drawing practice.

A maverick to the end, Cober bridged fine art and illustration, demonstrating that illustrators could embrace multiple creative identities. Through his legacy, he opened the door for future generations to explore boundless artistic possibilities.

Credit: Steven Heller, Co-Chair, MFA Design Department, School of Visual Arts, New York, 12/15/24. Edited by Leslie Cober