1) Tony Schaub is a 74-year-old artist from Pennsylvania who is now based in Texas. He is known for his pop art pieces that incorporate nostalgic images from 1950s/60s American culture. 2) Schaub discovered his calling for art at a young age and had the same instructor as Andy Warhol. He gained recognition in Texas for his mural work in the 1970s. 3) Schaub now lives in Harlingen, Texas where he continues creating nostalgia-focused pop art that combines humor and imagery from important times in American and Texas history.

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tony
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ony Schaub is obsessed. again via Houston as some car trouble during a cross-
country trip landed him there. Staying with some
The 74 year-old Pennsyl- friends in the city, and eventually meeting new ones,
vania-born artist turned Schaub gained his reputation as an artist in Texas by
native Texan has dedicated his working as a muralist, painting the walls of private and
commercial clients, most notably the Houston-cloth-
life to make the world a cooler ing store "Tootsies". e "Tootsies" mural earned him a
place to live. lot of a ention and he soon became one of Texas' bet-
Walking into his studio, it feels like being transport- ter well know artists and was featured in the 1977 July
ed into the late 1950's or early 60's, complete with mu- issue of Texas Monthly.
sic from e Beatles lling the room and images such While visiting some more friends in South Padre
as his classic "Big Boy" burger gure smiling at you. All Island around the same time (Schaub is never short
around, the artist creates a world that time has suppos- of friends), he decorated a number of venues and res-
edly le behind with the exception of the occasional taurants, most notably the SPI-icon Blackbeard's, with
retro diner, vintage store, or novelty shop. However, some of his work which remains to this day. Schaub
this was no novelty shop, and Tony Schaub is beyond still participates annually in the Beachcombers Art
retro cool. It may have been hot outside, but entering Show, Texas' longest running art show, which will be
Schaub's studio made it feel a whole lot cooler. celebrating its 52nd year July 23 & 24 and the South
Born and raised in Pi sburg, Schaub discovered at a Padre Island Convention Centre, another venue in
very early age that being an art was his calling. At twelve which Schaub has work displayed.
years old, he a ended the Carnegie Institute Summer While only passing Harlingen on his way to SPI dur-
Art Program and was fortunate to have the same in- ing his early days in the Valley, Schaub never knew how
structor as another well known Pennsylvania artist, much the city had to o er until he stopped one day to
American icon Andy Warhol. Like Warhol, Schaub check it out and him and his wife Beverly have been
incorporates pop culture icons into his work, using happy to call Jackson Street home ever since. Schaub
vibrant color and his unique sense of humor to create has been a welcomed addition to the resurgence of art
pieces that would make any baby boomer reminisce in the downtown community and his style appeals to
and smile. ough he uses images from pop culture in many of those that seek a nostalgic feel with a sense of
his work, Schaub has a style all his own, creating works modern day cool.
that combine his quirkiness and sharp wit with images
that remind him of important times both in America Though the artist's sense of
and Texas. humor is apparent in a lot of
Schaub's introduction to Texas came during a stint his work, such as in his, "Shark's
in the Air Force at Ellington Air Force Base and then