If you’re a fan of Tim’s you already know that he’s an utterly amazing artist and overall top guy. But if you’re less familiar with his work, you might be wondering why we’re so hyped about him joining the Terra Virtua family. So we wanted to share some fun facts about Tim and his work, which really showcase why he’s such an inspiration to artists around the world, and adored by millions.
- He sold his first piece of art at age 15. To the White House. Yep, that’s right, his first sale was to one of the most well known places on earth and it remains part of the White House collection. The amazing part? That wasn’t even the high point of Tim’s career, he just went from strength to strength after that and continues to push boundaries and take the art scene by storm. His latest foray into digital artwork and NFTs only goes to show that Tim definitely doesn’t rest on his laurels.
- He makes his own paints. You won’t spot Tim shopping in your local arts and crafts shop, browsing for ready-made paints because he makes his own, from scratch. As if being a super successful artist wasn’t busy enough, he spends time making his own materials.
- He works freehand, and without reference material. If you’ve seen any of Tim’s art, you know just how precise and lifelike it is, and yet he told us that he doesn’t use any reference material and works completely freehand. So all those incredible shapes within his work are achieved without any kind of tool to guide the design, and the animals, people, and objects he includes in his work are all designed based on his own memory and interpretation. How he manages to do it completely beats us, but that’s why he’s a best-selling artist, and we’re not.
- He was approached by Imagine Dragons to design their cover artwork. It’s one thing to pitch your work to a band and offer up your services, but when they come to you, you know you’ve hit the big time. And that’s exactly what happened to Tim, and not only did they ask him to do the cover, they gave him free reign over the design. That’s how much they trusted Tim. The coolest part: he even got to go on tour with them. That’s rock and roll!
- He was in an Imagine Dragons music video. As if designing the artwork, meeting the band and going on tour with them wasn’t enough, Tim also got a cameo in one of their music videos. This particular video also includes set pieces from his cover designs, so we can only imagine what that was like, seeing his artwork literally come to life.
- He hides secret messages in his artwork. There are so many layers to Tim’s work (even more in his digital collection), and we absolutely love the fact that on top of all the things you can spot from the off, he also hides little messages in his pieces. He obviously didn’t want to give the game away and tell us what or where they are, but he did confess that he includes his wife, Amy’s, name in every piece, alongside lots of other little Easter eggs. For the Imagine Dragon cover art there are even things like co-ordinates that lead to a treasure trove of goodies. Time to dig out that CD we reckon…
- He’s inspired by the people he meets. I think we can all agree that Tim is an absolutely incredible artist and has achieved so much, but one of the things that makes him possibly the coolest person on the planet is how down to earth he is. His pieces all have a powerful message, and yet most are also inspired by real people in his life. Naturally his wife, Amy, has inspired many pieces, but he also shared stories about how a mime in Venice inspired his Rigoletto piece, and how a casual conversation with an 89 year old woman who visited his gallery gave him a great idea for a new project.
Want to learn more about the man behind the art? Watch our interview with Tim over on Twitch, visit his website, or enjoy the countless YouTube videos of him sharing his passion.
Want to get your hands on an original Tim Cantor piece? Head over to our marketplace where you can buy his very first NFT collection (see examples below*). Seriously, this is a world exclusive, so don’t miss out!
*Some works may be sold out at time of publishing
