Ambiguous Art | Shelton Walsmith

“I want to be remembered as an adoring father to my son and a wonderful husband to my wife,” says ambiguous art artist, Shelton Walsmith.

Shelton Walsmith is a mixed media artist famously known for his ambiguous art. He lives and works in Brooklyn, New York, though some of his works can be found in publications outside the US. Among those are, the Vogue Paris and the Paris Review. Moreover, his works have also been published by the New York Times, Denver Quality, Rizolli Books, and Shots magazine, among several others. Also, he’s had exhibitions across and beyond the US including Prague. Recently, he had a successful one-man show at the Seven Minus Seven gallery in the Virgin Islands.

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Artistic journey and gratitude

Shelton had his first encounter with an artist when he was a child. This artist was his best friend, Steve Cooley, who was 12 at the time. Steve’s impressive artistry was evident in his voluminous nude artworks, which he made to amuse and guide Shelton. Years later, after Steve became a successful graphic designer, he supported Shelton’s art by printing his artworks on numerous book jackets. To this day, Shelton heaps praise on his friend for the immense support he devoted to his artistry. Shelton says, “I owe my early commercial success to his keen eye and career kickstart.”

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However, he doesn’t fail to acknowledge other people who made significant contributions to the success of his art. They include Jack and Court Mathey, Richard Giles, Chuck Kelton, and Leslie Sheryll. “They’ve each shown me new ways of seeing, shown my work to influencers, and/or simply had my back for as long as I’ve known them,” he says.

Artistic influences

The list of Shelton’s artistic influences stretches wide, due to the vastness of his artistic interests. Among those are Jerry Clyde Jarvis and the Big Snuff Gallery, Gael Stack, Emmi Whitehorse, Titus Kaphur, Vernon Fisher, Martin Mull, Jon Pack, Frank Bowling, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, including other notable names in the world of art.

Ongoing projects

Shelton has been working on a series of expressionistic landscapes which express the feeling of euphoria felt around nature. This includes a 3×5 ft canvas of a mesmerizing waterfall. Also, he’s been working on a series about silence which he has decided to keep out of the public eye in the meantime. Aside from his forthcoming series, Shelton has been working on several spontaneous pieces scattered about his studio. One of these is a small representational tondo of a friend’s jeep as a gift to cheer him up.

Exhibitions and publications

Shelton frequently exhibits with a wonderful gallery in St.Thomas USVI called Seven Minus Seven. He also mentions his appearance on a new print magazine’s premiere edition, Pomegranate London. One of his portraits will be in their next issue in the fall.

Legacy and desire

As an incredible family man, Shelton hopes to be remembered as a successful father and husband. In his words, he says, “First and foremost I want to be remembered as an adoring father to my son Giles Willowbee and husband to wife Kassia to whom if I said I owe everything I’d still be leaving something out.” Also, he hopes to be remembered as someone who perhaps didn’t get it right every time but endeavored to transcribe an enormous curiosity and enthusiasm into a vast body of extensive ‘isms’. Someone who sustained a field of energy over multiple decades of creating inspired generosity of spirit in all he touched.

To see Shelton’s latest artwork, visit Saatchi Art >

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