Monday, May 30, 2016

Ting Comic and Graphic Arts Festival 2016 - Media Coverage

The 3rd annual "Ting Comic and Graphic Arts Festival" has wrapped up! This 4-week celebration took place at the ARTS Project in downtown London, Ontario from April 26 - May 21 of 2016.

Named after Merle ‘Ting’ Tingley, the editorial cartoonist for the London Free Press from 1948-1986, Tingfest is a celebration of his work and influence on multiple generations of artists.

Tingfest is primarily a gallery show featuring a number of different artists from the Southwestern Ontario region, but it also features a pop-up shop, panel discussions, screenings, workshops, and more. All programming is free and all-ages friendly.

This year, we seemed to have really hit our stride. Many people in London, Ontario seem to know what Tingfest is all about now and dare I say - even add it to their social calendars as something to look forward to, which is evidence by the great media coverage we received!

Media Coverage

Megan Arnold: Secret Selfie, Watercolour and ink on paper, 9 inches by 7 inches, 2014

London Free Press cartoon from 1975 by Ting is still completely relevant today.
  • The Civic Blessing and Inspiration of Ting, London Yodeller cover story with artwork by Ting, Herman Gooden, May 12, 2016.

    This is a really terrific article that has some wonderful history on Ting and how he came to work at the London Free Press. Extra bonus is that it contains beautiful black and white photographs of Ting on a motorcycle!

    "Our simultaneously nostalgic and prophetic cover image are featured, along with the work of a dozen other considerably younger artists, at the Third Annual Ting Comic & Graphic Arts Festival on at the Arts Project until May 21.

    Ting is the perfect namesake for such a festival because he inspired two or three generations of London artists who pored over his cartoons in the daily paper when they were kids. Whether they aspired to be cartoonists, painters or sculptors scarcely mattered. Here was this very public example of a crackerjack draughtsman with a unique way of looking at things coming up with some sort of pictorial commentary on their world nearly every day of the week."
  • Spidey spins web of lifetime passion for comic book artist, Our London, Whitney South, May 21, 2016. Article about Ting participant Tim Levins:

    "There’s so much talent out there, so much creativity that goes unnoticed, so having a festival like Ting is great way to shine a spotlight on a medium that needs more exposure in a culture dominated by internet, movies, and television,” he said. “Any event that promotes comics and comic book art is a good thing in my eyes.”