He was born in 1949 in Amieiro - Montemor o Velho. Nélio Saltão is an excellent example of a self-taught artist. He began painting spontaneously by observing other artists, listening to their advice and following their theoretical practice. He participated in his first solo exhibition in 1992, in Cascais. He started with watercolor and gradually moved on to oil painting. After developing his skills in an initial figurative phase, Saltão started with abstract expressionism. To date he has participated in 36 group exhibitions and 6 solo exhibitions, one of them in 2002 entitled "10 anos Depois" (10 years after), at the Estoril Casino Art Gallery. Saltão's works have been exhibited in many exhibitions, both solo and group, in prestigious galleries in Portugal.