Robert Andrew Parker

Robert Andrew Parker (May 14, 1927 – December 27, 2023) was an American painter, illustrator, and printmaker renowned for his expressive watercolors and prolific contributions to literature and music. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Parker's early life involved frequent relocations across the United States. He served in the Army Air Corps near the end of World War II and subsequently pursued art studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, graduating in 1952.

Throughout a career spanning over seven decades, Parker's versatile artistry encompassed illustrations for more than seventy children's books, earning him accolades such as the 1970 Caldecott Honor for "Pop Corn and Ma Goodness" by Edna Mitchell Preston. His distinctive style graced the pages of esteemed publications including The New Yorker, Esquire, and Time, and adorned album covers for jazz legends like Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington.

Parker's work is held in the permanent collections of major institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Despite being diagnosed with macular degeneration in 2000, he continued to create art well into his 90s, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to his craft.

In his personal life, Parker was married twice and had five children. He passed away in West Cornwall, Connecticut, on December 27, 2023, at the age of 96.