Having grown up as the fifth of nine children, Tim Weldon born 1961 in New York found a way to nurture his creativity in the midst of being a part of an amazing and chaotic family.  His color palette came to life after spending some time in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment during his teen years.  Vibrant, layered and mixed colors of oil, acrylic paint and sand are combined to create his beloved artwork.  Collected “junk” and antique items such as signs, doors and architectural pieces are incorporated into works of art.  Vintage items such as an antique camera lens have been altered and collaged together in Tim’s eccentric, playful and expressive designs.

Tim Weldon Cottonwood Art Festival
Tim Weldon Cottonwood Art Festival

Images and text found on his pieces show the influence of Tim’s background of working in various creative industries.  Before becoming a fine art painter and sculptor, he spent time as a cartoonist, theatre dancer and music producer.  He creates what he describes as a “musical landscape to life on canvas”.  Nostalgic images used from antique publications give an entertaining and unpretentious vibe to his art.  Snoopy, Pepsi, music sheets, street signs, and gameboard pieces including a vintage bingo card are examples of what you will recognize in his work.  It is easy to appreciate the ingenious way he repurposes treasured references into mixed medium works of art.

Tim Weldon Cottonwood Art Festival

Being a self-taught artist, some may label Weldon’s style of work as “art brut” which translates to “raw art”.  Art brut is a term first used by French painter, Jean Dubuffet in 1945.  “Outsider art” is another term used meaning the artist developed their skills without formal training from any conventional art institution.  Instead of embracing any label given to his art style Weldon describes his art as this: “A word spawns an image, the image dances across the canvas to the beat of its own drummer and colors lead the way to a new discovery.”  Weldon lets his personal expression shine in his art.  And, the term “art has no rules” comes to mind when describing his creative method.

 Tim Weldon is based in San Francisco and his artwork  is available at Soulgallerysf.com , at Stewart Galleries in Palm Springs, California and Gallery Bergelli in Larkspur, California.  Follow the artist on Facebook and visit his website for to subscribe to his newsletter and browse recent collections.

 Artwork has been featured at the Museum of Craft and Design and Bakersfield Museum of Art.

Tim Weldon Cottonwood Art Festival