Late cartoonist Merle "Ting" Tingley sits at his drawing board in the London Free Press building.
Merle “Ting” Tingley is widely recognized as one of southwestern Ontario’s most influential cartoonists.
From the 1948 to 1986, Tingley served as the main editorial cartoonist for the London Free Press. His work also saw syndication in more than 60 other publications nationwide.
A little over a year after his death in 2017, Tingley’s work is being preserved in a retrospective hosted by Museum London.
Curator of regional history Amber Lloydlangston said the museum had considered hosting a exhibition on Tingley for some time, but that the perfect opportunity arrived following a conversation with the late curator’s son, Cameron.
“We were being offered items that Cameron had been clearing out from his father’s collection,” said Lloydlangston.
“We also knew that Western [University] had an amazing collection of Ting’s cartoons… everything came together.”
A pair of onlookers take in the Merle Tingley exhibition at Museum London.
Along with the exhibition, Tingley’s work also receives an annual revival thanks to the Ting Comic and Graphic Arts Festival, also known as Tingfest.
The festival got its start after local cartoonist and illustrator Diana Tamblyn pitched the idea to the TAP Centre for Creativity, formerly known as The ARTS Project.
“The ARTS Project was looking for a signature event… that would bring people into the gallery who might not normally go there,” said Tamblyn.
“I said, ‘I have this crazy idea and I think it actually might be what you’re looking for’.”
The gallery supported the idea and the festival’s first iteration saw an appearance from Tingley himself, who was inducted into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame by fellow Canadian cartoonist Seth.
Canadian cartoonist Seth poses with Merle “Ting” Tingley following Tingley’s induction into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame.
While Museum London’s retrospective has come and gone, fans and newcomers alike can still get a taste of Ting during the upcoming 2019 Tingfest.
The annual three-week comic and graphics arts festival is to return in Spring of this year.
