Doug Shelton

Doug Shelton is a long time Des Moines artist and an accomplished painter who has documented his unique imagination on canvas for many years. Described loosely as surrealistic, his paintings are filled with whimsical and mysterious symbols, settings and characters. Each work can suggest many intriguing story lines or anecdotes to the viewer, but all stem from the artist's experience and stream or consciousness. Doug's environments are painted in a hyper-real fashion. Every detail and every element are pronounced and often heightened with spotlights or moonlight. The mystery that lurks within each painting and the feeling that something wonderful is going to unfold or the fact that magical things are happening at this very moment, make Doug's work continually intriguing. All of his works are exquisitely painted and he often crafts and ornaments unusual frames that serve as extensions of the piece.

In addition to his studio work, Doug is also known for his murals that decorate several buildings in downtown Des Moines including the Kirkwood Hotel, The Police Headquarters and the Skywalk System. Doug has been recognized with several museum shows with his easel work and is included in the collections of The Principal Financial Group, The National Bank of Waterloo, Farm Bureau Insurance Company and the permanent collection of the Des Moines Art Center.

Doug was born in 1941 in Des Moines, Iowa. He received a B.F.A., School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 1968-1972 and attended the American Academy of Art, Chicago, 1967-1968