With a past far removed from the desert, emerging artist Tony Shelton (b. 1983) brings a distinctive outsider’s curiosity to the Southwest, offering fresh perspectives on the region’s unforeseen beauty.
Originally from the Midwest, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he learned to analyze paintings, interpret their meaning, and translate such insights into his own work.
Through paint, Tony captures the personalities of cacti, succulents, and subtropical plants into “plant portraits,” turning flora into the focal point—rather than mere backdrop—of a blazing urban desert.
He currently resides in Tempe, where he continues to express his fascination with Arizona through dynamic compositions and a vivid color palette.
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