In 1963, Bob earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in graphic design and painting from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

He worked in Denver as a designer/illustrator from 1963 to 1971 at Rocky Mountain News, Hoflund Schmidt Typographic Services, Frye, Sills and Bridges Advertising Agency and Salesvertising Art Design Studio.

He moved to Fort Collins in 1971, taking employment with Colorado State University as the art director/designer for University Communications. Part of Bob's employment at the time was in the art department, serving as affiliate  faculty and teaching graphic design and illustration.

Bob was in this employ for a little over three years, leaving in May of 1974 to pursue starting his own business, Bob Coonts Graphic Design,Inc.
Becoming extremely busy from the onset, Bob hired his first employee shortly after.  He operated his own business for twenty years.

In addition to his studio, he also started and operated a photostat business called That Stat Place, Inc.

In 1994, he sold his business to to a colleague to go into the feild of fine art and has been painting ever since.