Tim Kirk

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Fan
Name: Tim Kirk
Alias(es):
Type: fan artist
Fandoms: Tolkien, Star Trek TOS, science fiction, Cthulhu Mythos
Communities: LASFS[1], Board for the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle
Other:
URL: Tim Kirk at Wikipedia
www.kirkdesigninc.com closed between March and June, 2013. (via Wayback Mar 24/23)
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Tim Kirk is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy fanartist. His art appeared in many fanzines from the late 1960s through to the 1980s, particularly Tolkien zines. In 1975 his Master's thesis portfolio, a series of paintings based on The Lord of the Rings was published by Ballentine Books as the 1975 Tolkien Calendar[2].

History

Born in 1947, Kirk became a science fiction fan as a fine arts student at the University of California - Long Beach during the 1960s. His work appeared in fanzines of the period, including Locus, Science Fiction Review, Nyctalops, Trumpet and HPL. He also was part of the winning Kansas City 1976 Worldcon bid and resulting convention. During his fanartist career, he was nominated for a number of awards, including the Hugos, winning many and earning himself a strong reputation among his fans. At the same time he provided cover for several DAW Books and Ballantine.

While selling some of his art professionally to science fiction magazines such as Amazing Stories and Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine as well as book publishers such as DAW and Doubleday, it wasn't enough to live on and he took a job with Hallmark, designing cards and wrapping paper. In 1980 he began working with Disney as an illustrator, designer and "imagineer", getting involved in the design of DisneySea in Japan. From there he joined with his brother, sculptor Steve Kirk, in amusement park design before they set up their own company with Steve's wife Kathy, Kirk Design Incorporated, which specialised "in design services for the leisure entertainment market, including theme environments, parks, attractions, shops, restaurants, museums, resorts and interactive play areas"[3]; one of their commissions was the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture. The company - and Tim - retired in 2013. Tim has since rejoined fandom, attending conventions and contributing both essays and art for science-fiction publications. He has also recently appeared as a guest speaker on the Fan History Project's Evolution of Fan Art Zoom session in 2023[4] as well as a number of podcasts focussing on fanzine history.

Notable Works

A full(?) bibliography of Tim's fan and professional work - meta essays, fiction and art - is available on the Internet Speculative Fiction Database.

Calendars

Zines

  • The Tolkien Journal v.3 no.2 (#8) [1967] - all art is by Tim Kirk, including front and back covers.

Professional Publications

Interviews and Profiles

Awards

Hugos

  • 1969 - Best Fan Artist - finalist
  • 1970 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1971 - Best Fan Artist - runner up
  • 1972 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1973 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1974 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1976 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1977 - Best Fan Artist - runner up

Locus Poll Award

  • 1971 - Best Fan Artist - second
  • 1972 - Best Fan Artist - second
  • 1973 - Best Fan Artist - second
  • 1974 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1975 - Best Fan Artist - winner
  • 1976 - Best Artist - fourth
  • 1977 - Best Artist - sixth
  • 1979 - Best Artist - ninth
  • 1980 - Best Artist - eleventh
  • 1981 - Best Artist - tenth

World Fantasy Awards

  • 1975 - Best Artist - nominee
  • 1976 - Best Artist - nominee
  • 1977 - Best Artist - nominee
  • 1978 - Best Artist - nominee

(Coveted) Balrog Awards

  • 1979 - Best Artist - winner
  • 1980 - Best Artist - nominee

Rotsler Memorial Fanzine Artist Award

  • 2021 - winner

Art Show Awards

(listed where information available - by no means an extensive list)

Reactions and Reviews

Tim developed the logo and letterhead for my [now defunct] bookstore, A Change of Hobbit when he was still a student. His graphics branded my store's image throughout its 19-year history, appearing on tote bags, t-shirts, holiday cards, and other promotional and business items. His art became iconic, recognized throughout world in the science-fiction and fantasy field.[5]

I believe I picked [The Truth About Tribbles] up at A Change of Hobbit in Los Angeles when I was wee. Tim Kirk was a very popular local Sci Fi satirist and had decorated all the walls in the bathroom there. [6]

Gallery

Archives/Zines/Collections

Zines

As Contributor

  • Tolkien Journal
    • #7 (1967) - back cover and interior art
    • #8 (1967) - all art, including front and back covers
    • #9 (1968) - interior art
    • #10 (1969) - interior art
    • #11/Orcrist #3 (1970) - front cover "The Hornberg in Helm's Deep" with the dedication: For Deborah Webster: critic, composer, poet: "who has heard the horns of elfland" and interior art
  • Anubis, #3 (1968) - cover
  • Niekas
    • #20 (1968) - interior art
    • #39 (1989) - back cover "Misty Mountain Goblin"
  • Shangri L'Affaires, September 1968 (1968) - cover
  • Amra
    • V2n46 (1968) - interior art
    • V2n47 (1968) - "lower case request"
    • V2n48 (1968) - "The Short Hero"
    • V2n50 (1969) - "Limericks"
    • V2n51 (1969) - "A Portion of Lankhmar (map)" and "On Dinosaurs and Dragons"
    • V2n52 (1970) - "Swackles", "The Loss of a Son"
    • V2n53 (1970) - "Mundy's Vendhya"
    • V2n57 (1972) - "French Crossbowman, c. 1425", "Turkish Janissary, c. 1400",
    • V2n59 (1973) - "Blunders", "Japanese Swords", "The Other Cimmerian"
    • V2n60 (1973) - "Review: Nils Holgersson"
    • V2n62 (1974) - "Man about Tarantia²"
    • V2n64 (1975) - "Armoured Cavalry, Tang Dynasty (China, C. 700)", "More Claymores"
  • Star Trek Concordance First Edition (1969) - interior art
  • Mythlore #1 (1969) - front cover, also associate art editor (issues #1-9)
  • Trumpet
    • #9 (1969) - interior art
    • #10 (1969) - "Caution: Cigarette Smoking Is Still a Burning Issue" and "Gormenghast: A Portfolio" plus two other images
    • #11 (1974) - ""Repent, Harlequin!" said the Ticktockman", "Pill Bugs and Mung Peas", "Stealing Tomorrow"
  • Locus
    • #20 (1969) - cover
    • #22 (1969) - cover
    • #25 (1969) - cover
    • #26 (1969) - Cartoon: "Boston in '71"
    • #27 (1969) - Cartoon
    • #28 (1969) - cover
    • #29 (1969) - cover
    • #38 (1969) - cover
    • #45 (1969) - interior
    • #64 (1970) - cover
    • #70 (1970) - interior
    • #83 (1971) - cover
    • #87 (1971) - cover
    • #95 (1971) - cover
    • #108 (1972) - cover
    • #111 (1972) - interior
    • #118 (1972) - interior
    • #114 (1972) - cover
    • #118 (1972) - cover and "Film Fan Funnies #2"
    • #122 (1972) - cover
    • #129 (1972) - cover
    • #131 (1973) - cover
    • #134 (1973) - cover
    • #135 (1973) - cover
    • #141 (1973) - cover
    • #154 (1974) - cover
    • #169 (1975) - cover
    • #179 (1975) - cover
  • Granfalloon
    • #7 (1969) - interior
    • #8 (1970) - interior art and - letter of comment
    • #9 (1970) - Art Portfolio (40th Anniversary Special)
  • Science Fiction Review
    • January 1969 (1969) - interior
    • April 1969 (1969) - interior
    • June 1969 (1969) - "Harlan Elephant Defends the Faith"
    • August 1969 (1969) - interior
    • October 1969 (1969) - "Annual S.W.F.A. Meeting"
    • December 1969 (1969) - interior and "Michael Moorhen Ascends Golgotha" - essay
    • February 1970 (1970) - interior
    • April 1970 (1970) - front cover, "Book Reviews", "Dialog", "Monolog", "Noise Level", "Rotsler for TAFF", "Story at Bay", "Tim Kirk vs. Mike Gilbert Parts 1 and 2"
    • June 1970 (1970) - interior
    • August 1970 (1970) - "Tim Kirk's Page"
    • October 1970 (1970) - interior
    • November 1970 (1970) - interior
    • January 1971 (1971) - front cover and interior art
    • March 1971 (1971) - interior
    • February 1975 (1975) - cover
    • #16 February 1976 (1976) - interior
    • November 1976 (1976) - cover
    • #23 (1977) - letter of comment
  • Return to Wonder, #9 1970 (1970) - cover
  • The WSFA Journal #76 (1971) - "The Science Fiction Review Memorial Art Portfolio"
  • Log of the Starship Enterprise (Star Trek: TOS zine by Sylvia Stanczyk) #5 (1972) - "Fan Film Funnies", words by Bjo Trimble, illos by Tim Kirk
  • Nyctalops
    • #7 (1972) - cover
    • #18 (1985) - back cover
  • Despatch #17 (1972) - interior art
  • Richard E. Geis, September 1972 (1972) - cover
  • HPL (1972) - "The Terrible Old Man", "Innsmouth", "Notes on Collecting Lovecraftiana", "Arkham", "Wilbur Whateley's Death", "Gallery"
  • From Beyond the Dark Gateway, April-May 1972 (1972) - "From the Sea"
  • Etchings & Odysseys (1973) - "A Man of Discretion (A Tale of Gai Paris)", "First Love"
  • The Alien Critic
    • May 1973 (1973) - cover
    • #7 (1973) - "Alien Thoughts", "Noise Level", "The Alien's Archives"
    • February 1974 (1974) - cover
    • May 1974 (1974) - cover
    • August 1974 (1974) - cover
    • November 1974 (1974) - cover
  • Whispers
    • Volume 1, number 2 (Issue #2) (1973) - interior art
    • July 1973 (1973) - cover
    • July 1974 (1974) - cover
  • Anduril, #4 (1974)
  • The Truth About Tribbles (1974) - interior art
  • Nickelodeon #1 (1975) - "Famous Last Lines of M. M. Moamrath"
  • REH: Lone Star Fictioneer (1975) - "Vultures over Cross Plains"
  • The Middle-earth Songbook (1976) - interior art
  • Chacal
    • #1 (1976) - "Kirk's Corner"
    • #2 (1977) - "Kirk's Corner / Hard Times"
  • Fantasy Crossroads
    • #7 (1976) - "Epistle Express"
    • #15 (1979) - "Drool", "Trell"
  • Shayol
    • #1 (1977) - "Kirk's Corner", "Spawn of the Ruins"
    • #2 (1978) - ""Close Encounter" Close-Ups", "Dreams of the Dreamer"
    • #3 (1979) - "... Homecoming...", "Kirk's Corner"
    • #4 (1980) - "Kirk's Corner: Shayol's Condidate Profiles, 1980"
    • #5 (1982) - "The Secret to Being a Sci-Fi Guy"
    • #6 (1982) - "Kirk's Corner", "Middle Earth: A Look at K. C.'s Fantastic Artists"
    • #7 (1985) - "Fantasy Portfolio"
  • The Silver Eel (1978) - front cover and "Notes from the Editor" banner
  • Fantasy Newsletter #62 (1983) - Letter (Give Credit to Stephen King)
  • SF & Fantasy Review, Volume 7, No. 2 (#65) (1984) with George Barr - cover
  • The Naked Id #6 (1985)
  • Controversy in Review
    • #15 (1987)
    • #16 (1987)
    • #17 (1987)
  • Sword & Fantasy #7 (2006) - "Blasts from the Past"

Program Books

  • Westercon 25/ Mythcon 3 Program Book (1972) - front cover
  • Filmcon I Progress Report #1 (1972) - cover and interior art
  • L.A.Con Progress Report #0 (1972) - cover
  • L.A.Con Progress Report #1 (1972) - cover
  • L.A.Con Progress Report #2 (1972) - cover
  • L.A.Con Progress Report #3 (1972) - cover
  • L.A.Con Progress Report #4 (1972) - cover
  • L.A.Con Program Book (1972) - "I Pinglot, Who You?".
  • Equicon 1973 Progress Report #4 (1973) - interior art
  • Equicon 1973 Program Book (1973) - interior art
  • MidAmeriCon Program Book (1976) - "The Star Beast" and biography of GOH George Barr.
  • L.A. Con II Program Book (1984) - "18th Annual Fanquest Program Book " (1971); "WHAT THIS CONVENTION NEEDS IS SOME CULTURE ...", "WHAT THIS CONVENTION NEEDS IS SOME SOCK AND BOFFO!", "Marketplace at Mandaroon", "18th Annual Fanquest Program Book (cover)"
  • Sasquan: The 73rd World Science Fiction Convention (2015) - art for the profile of David Gerrold.

Small Press Publications

As Editor/Author

As Artist

  • The Making of Monsters • essay by Tim Kirk
  • A Conversation with Tim Kirk • interview of Tim Kirk • interview by George Beahm
  • Kirk's Works: An Annotated Index • essay by Tim Kirk

References

  1. ^ A History of the LASFS
  2. ^ a b "Biography, Tim Kirk", at Kirk Design Incorporated (via Wayback Mar 24/13)
  3. ^ "Meet The Team" - Kirk Design Incorporated (via Wayback Mar 24/13)
  4. ^ "Pixel Scroll 10/5/23 The Fan-Kzin Scrolls" by Mike Glyer, File 770 (Oct 5/23) (via Wayback Oct 13/23)
  5. ^ Recommendations at Tim Kirk's LinkedIn. Brackets in original.
  6. ^ a fan's personal correspondence with User:MPH, October 2016 (source)