Ted Rand

Rand entered the world on December 27, 1915, on Mercer Island, Washington.  His father worked as a superintendent of a reform school for boys, and his mother taught elementary education.  At an early age Rand loved to draw and found inspiration in the family Bible's illustrations.  After graduating from high school he found an advertising job with a department store.  Rand worked hard and saved diligently, so he had money to travel around the world for a year. 

That year proved eventful.  From 1938 through 1939, Rand saw a turn of events in Europe as World War II began.  When Hitler invaded Poland, Rand returned to the United States and later enlisted in the Naval Air Corps, serving as an aerial navigator.  On May 1, 1948, he married Gloria Kistler, an artist and future author.  As Gloria raised their two children, Rand formed Graphic Studios with several other men and painted award-winning portraits, magazine covers, and ads.  He also taught at the University of Washington, a profession lasting over twenty years.

As a free lance artist, Rand had shows for his work and produced paintings to hang in museum collections and private collections.  His portraits commemorate governors, business leaders, university presidents, and foreign heads of state.  However successful Rand had become, his life took a change of direction when he was 65 years old.  An editor convinced him to illustrate the book The Ghost-Eye Tree, and Rand found his next calling in life.  He turned down commissions for portraits and stopped his exhibitions so he could concentrate fully on illustrating children's books.

A prolific artist Rand went on to illustrate almost eighty books, with over a dozen of them written by Gloria.  This generous man helped the writing community with his encouragement and support.  Rand visited schools and bookstores and will be remembered for his water color artwork and his compassion toward people of all ages.  Cancer slowed him down, and at age 89 on March 15, 2005, Rand passed away.

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