Tim Clarke is a puppet builder who worked for The Jim Henson Company during the 1980s. He is credited on the movie Dark Crystal for creature design and fabrication supervision for The Mystics, the Pod People Slaves, the Crystal Bats, Landstrider, and environmental puppets. He also built Uncle Traveling Matt for Fraggle Rock from Michael K. Frith’s designs. A prototype for the Garthim figure is on display as part of Jim Henson’s office at the Center for Puppetry Arts “Worlds of Puppetry” exhibit. His other work in toy design includes the Sectaurs and the newly re-released Boglins toy line.
Tim talks a bit about his creations:
Tim Clarke Master Toy Designer “King of Gross”
For over 30 years Tim has been Inventing, Designing and Sculpting some of the most unusual toys to ever be marketed in the US and abroad. Once known as the “King of Gross” after co-creating in the 80’s Sectaurs (Coleco) and Boglins (Mattel). Tim now launches his new line of horribleness the “TOTIMS”
I love creating my own mythology. The world is filled with modern day mythological creatures you can find them in every nook and cranny of your bedroom closet.
Tim Started his career designing and building puppets for the Muppets. Most notable were the Mystics and the Slaves that he sculpted and designed for the movie the Dark Crystal guided by the incredible drawings of Brian Froud. He also worked on puppets for Sesame Street , Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock for which he created Traveling Matt. After Dark Crystal was launched he garnered his first toy sculpting gig with Hasbro creating the Garthim, Mystics and Lanstrider toys.
He has also created toys for Melissa and Doug toys, EK Success, Hasbro, Mattel, Coleco, Kenner, Ideal Lossirs, to mention just a few.
More information about Tim Clarke and his amazing creating can be found at their website and social media:
https://www.totims.com/
https://www.facebook.com/boglinsupereme