In 1990, six years after graduating from the School of Visual Arts with a degree in film, Anthony D'Elia returned to S.V.A. to take an introductory course in oil painting. Frustrated by his instructor's lack of interest in realism, he decided to go home and teach himself to paint. With the help of books and magazines devoted to the instruction of realist art, he painted still lifes in his spare time. After a few years of trial and error, he began showing his work to neighbors and friends. Taking advantage of one such neighbor's referral, he secured an interview with the owner of a gallery in Great Neck, New York. As he was unpacking his paintings, a woman from St. Louis walked into the gallery and proceeded to buy one of his original oil paintings from the owner. A few months later, through the referral of a friend, he met with Sherry French at her gallery in New York. She represented him until December 2001.
   "Painting has allowed me to capture moments in time, that otherwise, might have been lost forever. I count myself amongst the blessed."