To Be Featured In:  Stories We Tell (Feb, 2024)
Learn More & View Work Examples:  Artburst Studios Artist Profile

Meet Tony Thielen, an incredible contemporary artist hailing from Santa Fe, New Mexico!   As a 14th generation New Mexican, Tony’s upbringing and global travels have greatly influenced his journey as an artist. His story is a tale of discovery, transformation, and the pursuit of shaping his very own unique creative identity.

Tony realized he loved drawing early in life, but his path to becoming a fine artist was anything but direct. After high school, he served in the military, earned a business degree, and worked in number crunching roles for several years. Even during this time, his passion for art persisted.

The turning point came when Tony enrolled at the Art Institute of Seattle to study art direction and design, leading him into a successful career in graphic design and advertising. Spending nearly two decades as an award-winning graphic designer and creative director, Tony honed his artistic skills, plying his abilities to make other people money. However, it was during this time that he found a desire refocus his talents on fine art.  Calling himself a “recovering ad man,” Tony’s commercial art and design experience grounded him in the practical aspects of being a fine artist. He now takes inspiration from his fascination of the human figure and portraiture, and the shapes and underlying structure of compositions.

Much of Tony’s art is a blend of representation, abstraction, and self-expression, striving to capture the complexity of the human condition. Tony’s approach is refreshingly individualistic. He emphasizes the importance of not being afraid to fail, embracing learning opportunities, and constantly pushing creative boundaries.

Residing in Santa Fe, NM with his wife Carrie and their beloved pets, Tony’s art is deeply interwoven with his daily life, each piece a testament to his journey and a window into his soul. His work is not just a reflection of his diverse life experiences; it offers a refreshingly new perspective on the natural world and the human condition, viewed through the prism of contemporary art.

Tony is currently gearing up to unveil his latest collection for our upcoming virtual art show, “Stories We Tell“. His years of artistic evolution, dedication to his craft, and authentic self-expression make him an outstanding addition to the show, and his latest pieces are sure to captivate. You can see more of Tony’s work at his official website: TonyThielen.com.