If you have ever been to the Des Moines Zombie Walk before, you have probably seen Shawn Palek. You may not have known who he is, other than the guy who is spraying green paint all over your body to make you look like an awesomely dead zombie. Shawn is great at that. What you may not know about Shawn is that he’s an airbrush artist and has been doing work for 20 years.

After receiving an airbrush as a gift, Shawn took some classes and started doing airbrush artwork on t-shirts. After mastering his craft, he moved to canvas, clothing, motorcycles and helmets, vehicles, and people.Shawn’s work includes male and female portraits, animals, vehicles, evil art and more. Shawn started a custom paint shop business in 2004 doing his artwork and custom work for clients. He also teaches at DMACC and The Art Store in West Des Moines. He also writes a column in Throttler Magazine. Shawn has also won over 50 ribbons at the Iowa State Fair in the creative arts competition.

Shawn is heavily invested in the Des Moines community, and building a growing a culture of artists. Shawn has been supportive and active since the start of the Des Moines Zombie Walk in 2009. We are so lucky and thankful to have his skill, passion, and support for the entire community. Please help us thank Shawn Palek for being a great friend to us all. Make sure you check out his website and artwork in the above links.

Photo by: Sara Baxley