Artist seeks to keep father’s legacy alive

ALBANY — The nondescript table — 42 inches wide, 31 inches deep and standing roughly three feet off the floor — is covered with materials Cedrick Shelton uses to do his job.

To the casual observer who comes into Tim’s Artistic Art at 105 S. Broadway St. in Albany, the table’s just a catch-all for the detritus of his work. But to Shelton, the table is symbolic of a bond that unites him with his late father Tim.

“This is where this business started,” Shelton said, indicating the well-used table. “Since 1988, it’s been where my father did his work. No matter where he’s moved over the years, that table’s been with him.

“Now, it’s mine. And as long as I’m able to work, it will be a part of what I do.”

Cedrick Shelton became the de facto owner/operator of Tim’s Artistic Art, which offers everything from uniquely designed car tags to custom T-shirts, in July when his father lost a battle with cancer. And while he’s learning on the fly, Shelton says he’s not alone in his efforts.

“My dad’s presence is here with me; I feel it in here every day,” Cedrick Shelton said. “I’ve had some hard days since he passed, and I find myself asking, ‘Daddy, what am I gonna do?’ In fact, I solve a lot of issues by asking myself, ‘What would daddy do?'”

Tim Shelton was a master craftsman/artist known throughout Southwest Georgia for his work. Born in Mitchell County in 1957, he showed an creative bent at an early age. By the time he was 23, he was regularly called upon by area construction companies for interior design, painting and wallpaper work.

The elder Shelton created his own artistic niche when he started custom designing car tags and T-shirts for special events like Albany State University homecoming and various family reunions.

“Many people say you can’t drive a square mile in the city of Albany without seeing my dad’s work either on a car tag, a T-shirt, a business sign, or on a church, home, restaurant or some other building,” Cedrick Shelton said.

Tim Shelton sold his artwork for a period out of Gilbert Udoto’s Odyssey Records business in the Shackleford Shopping Plaza, and he opened his first independent store at the corner of Jefferson Street and Gordon Avenue in Albany.

“Daddy always said location was important to a business,” Cedrick Shelton said. “If you look, you’ll see that every business he had was at a corner, where there are traffic lights. He told me people had to stop at traffic lights, and while they were looking around they had a chance to see our business.”

The flood that devastated Albany and Southwest Georgia in 1998 wiped out Tim Shelton’s business, so he started over at a new location along Front Street downtown. He was there for five years before moving once again to the Sunshine Plaza on Broad Avenue.

A downturn in the economy forced Tim Shelton to close his business in 2005, so he returned to his roots. The craftsman hung wallpaper and painted for construction crews working to rebuild parts of Louisiana and Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

But Shelton returned to Albany and reopened Tim’s Artistic Art at its Broadway location in 2008, turning to his oldest son to join him as a partner in the business. Cedrick Shelton was a student at Morehouse College at the time, but he came home to help his father, continuing his education at Albany State.

Tim Shelton’s long-time friend and sometimes business partner Udoto said the artist was very pleased to have his son working with him.

“Tim knew that Cedrick’s education would be a benefit for his business,” Udoto said. “Tim was one of those wonderful people who touched everyone he came in contact with, but his lack of education held him back somewhat. He knew having Cedrick as a partner would allow him to take his business to another level.

“That’s why I think the business Tim started will continue to flourish. Cedrick inheritted his father’s artistic talent, and he has a very good business sense. He’s very organized, the kind of person who does well in business.”

Former state representative — and current Albany mayoral candidate — John White said Tim Shelton was not truly appreciated by the city that he called home.

“The people who knew Tim well could really appreciate his talents,” White said. “But I don’t think the masses here really grasped the depth of his abilities. He was an innovator, an independent thinker.

“Cedrick has enough of his father’s artistic talent to be successful, and his education gives him a better grasp of the business side of things.”

As Cedrick Shelton tries to follow in his father’s footsteps, he has a reminder of just how daunting his task is. He created a shadowbox memorial that contains Tim Shelton’s favorite hat and his favorite sneakers, as well as a copy of a photograph of Tim the artist at work, concentrating on the intricate design he created for a youngster’s baseball helmet.

“I’d heard all kinds of stories about my dad, and I used to think a lot of what he did was a waste of time,” Cedrick Shelton said. “But since I’ve had an opportunity to walk in his shoes, to talk with the people who knew him, I’ve gained about 300 percent more respect for him. I feel like we’re closer now even than we were when he was alive.

“I learned so many lessons from my father over the years, and I feel an obligation now to continue what he started. It’s become clear to me — almost an obsession — that I cannot let his legacy die.”