Timothy Basil Ering is an Illustrator, a fine artist, a concept artist, and a children’s book author. Along with creating book illustrations, art for gallery exhibitions, art for video game scenics and character concepts, and writing children’s books, Tim has visited schools around the USA, Canada, and as far abroad as Burma in South East Asia that have noted his author/ illustrator presentations as “captivating, inspiring, and motivating.”

Timothy Basil Ering has illustrated numerous children’s books- including the New York times bestseller and Newbery Medal winning The Tale Of Despereaux written by Kate DiCamillo Which became an animated movie and remains in print around world, and his own creations including his picture book, The Story Of Frog Belly Rat Bone that now exceeds it’s 10th year anniversary in print and was adapted for the stage in Los Angeles. Other popular titles include Necks Out For Adventure!, The Almost Fearless Hamilton Squidlegger, Finn Throws A Fit!, Snook Alone, and Wild Boy; The True Story of the Savage of Aveyron- all receiving accolades from Kirkus reviews, Publishers weekly, School Library Journal, and more.

Anyone who knows Tim Ering would agree that he himself is a character, as inimitable as any that he may portray in his art. A compilation of words taken from reviews describing Ering’s work include; textural, atmospheric, ethereal, delicate, scrawly, powerful, inimitable, whimsical, light hearted, surreal, humorous, dark, beautiful, emotional, imaginative, randomness and control.

Tim’s art is textural, and he (laughingly) attributes this to possibly be linked with childhood chores that he and his 2 brothers and 2 sisters did growing up on Cape Cod to maintain their cottage rentals that were a big part of the family income. “I used to hate scraping through layers of old chipping paint from window sashes and trim that were always eroding from the salt in the air, the storms, and the hot summer sun. We could never get all the old paint off and we would slather another new layer on. Now, it’s the way I paint, and I love it. I need layers in my drawing and painting- ironically, this is now what makes it most interesting to me!”
The culprit of all the erosion, the Cape Cod atmosphere, the weather, the storms, the salt, the ocean, the humidity, and the hot sun is where Tim finds his energy. His “at oneness” with the ocean and nature is the well he draws from. Tim likes to “paint fast and make mistakes- To me, mistakes are good, I like to challenge myself to find a creative way to fix or hide mistakes. A mistake means another layer of paint or drawing, or maybe some stitching, or a patch, and that is visually fresh and interesting to me, and that’s good!”

Tim uses a variety of mediums- paint, wood, canvas, paper, inks, charcoals and sometimes found objects. Ering’s work can range from delicate drawings to wood dimensional constructions.

Before landing at the Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California, Tim indulged his longtime love of the sea as a helmsman aboard the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK, sailing the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, the Persian gulf, the Sea of Japan, across the equator to become an honorary shellback, and in addition to port visits along the California coast and Hawaii, port of calls included the Philippines, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Africa.
At the Art Center Tim studied illustration with veteran greats including Phillip Hayes, and studied fine art under the instruction of a melting pot of master draftsmen, painters, and print makers, including Harry Carmean and Burne Hogarth. And since finishing art school–where he discovered influences as far removed as Michelangelo and Dr. Seuss—the artist has approached his work with a spirit of adventure and originality that reflect his singular approach to life.

Ering’s work soon appeared in magazines and newspapers including The Los Angeles Times, Surfer Magazine, and Cape Cod Times, in music video sets, and on gallery walls in Provincetown and Wellfleet.
In 1996 Tim was approached by a NY Publisher to illustrate The Diary Of Victor Frankenstein (his 1st possibility for book illustration) which at that time conflicted with the planning of an overseas sailing adventure, of which he and his father alone would sail from Florida to Guatemala. With great enthusiasm and exuberance about the book project, Tim convinced the publisher that he could illustrate the book while on the boat overseas. 5 months and 3000 miles later, Tim and his father returned to Marathon Key, Florida. Their very salty 30 foot boat, the DULCINEA, was packed with souvenirs, treasures, and a once in a lifetime collection of stories that took place in Cuba, The Gulf Stream, The Yucatin Straights, Mexico, Belize, and up The Rio Dulce in Guatemala, on atolls and reefs, with pirates and sharks, there was scuba diving, spear fishing, storms and howling monkeys.

Through it all, Tim finished all the illustrations and in 1997 his 1st illustrated book The Diary Of Victor Frankenstein was published. Timothy Basil Ering has been published by Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA and Walker Books in London since 2003. He has created concept art for EA Games in Vancouver and Microsoft in Seattle. His art is exhibited at Cortile Gallery in Provincetown, MA

“My passions for creating images, fishing, the ocean, outdoors hunting and gathering, and making time to experience people, places and things are so great, and feel so good,
I find that it seems as though it couldn’t be better… but alas, it can- when I share it all with others.”
 Tim also shares his time and good cheer coaching both of his boy’s soccer teams. He lives with his wife and two sons in Kingston, MA only a hop, skip, and a jump to the ocean and his Cape Cod stomping grounds.