When I first met Tim Packer I had no idea of this wild ride he would take us on. He was working as a Police officer in Toronto and over those first few years the story gradually came out that his first love had always been art but he had joined the Police Service after tiring of the life of a “starving artist”. We got married, had children and he painted as a hobby. Gradually that “hobby” began to take over his life and at the end of 1999 we made the decision for him to quit his job, take commuted value on his pension and start painting full time.
It was a struggle for him those first few years, but by 2005 he started to find his voice and his current style began to emerge. Since then his career has just taken off. Things went so well that I was able to retire from my job as a Human Resources manager with one of the big banks at 49 and now I do the books for the business when I’m not golfing or skiing. Tim is definitely a “cup half full” kind of guy. There were times when I had my doubts about whether he could make a go of this but he never wavered in his belief that he could make a success of his art career. I think he is happiest when he is in his studio painting or up north hiking the trails and I think that happiness shows in his work and is what has struck such a chord with the public. The best part is that he gets to do what he loves every day and it provides a very nice life for our family.
Biography by Diane Packer (wife)
What is your favourite Toronto neighbourhood?
My favourite neighbourhood in Toronto is Yorkville, especially on the opening day of my shows at Liss Gallery. Brian Liss and I have a bit of a ritual where I come down early and paint for a few hours in the Gallery and then we go out for lunch somewhere in Yorkville. Brian seems to know everyone in the area and goes out of his way to introduce me as one of his artists who is having a show at his gallery that night. The openings are always jam packed with live music, waiters and a professional mixologist. For that one day this old guy from the burbs feels like I almost belong with the hip crowd.
What do you do?
I paint in oils in my home studio.
What are you working on?
I’m about to get started on a large 4’ by 7’ painting for a client in England and then I’ll be working on pieces for my solo show at Liss Gallery on November 5th.
Where can we find your work?
You can find my work at Liss Gallery in Toronto, Gallery on the Lake in Buckhorn, Koyman Galleries in Ottawa, Eclipse Gallery in Rosseau and at Deerhurst Inn in Huntsville.
