“Our place does not have phone or internet.” Judging by this comment from visual artist Ted Coconis, it’s understandable if you’ve concluded that he has either retreated into Amish country or fallen into one hell of a time warp. From his secluded studio in a beautifully bucolic stretch of Maine, the prolific and influential illustrator laughs incredulously at the idea of being tethered to technology past and present. “We’re solar powered, so there’s no traditional electricity available. No cell reception anywhere near either, so we’re basically incommunicado.” While the thought of being unable to access social networking platforms like Twitter or Facebook for more than an hour would equate to torture for many, this is splendid solitude to 84-year-old Coconis. “I deal with the outside world when I go to town every few days. It’s a bit of a nuisance for others, maybe, but it suits me just fine.”
