Michael Shane Neal


Michael Shane Neal is an American portrait artist who currently serves as the chairman of the Portrait Society of America. Since beginning a full time career as an artist at the age of 21, Neal has completed more than 600 private and public commissioned portraits on display around the world.
In 2024, Neal's portrait of Civil Rights Attorney Fred Gray was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery. In 2020, Neal's painting of Congressman John Lewis was acquired by the Smithsonian and became a part of its permanent exhibit entitled "." Neal has created official portraits for the United States Capitol of U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenberg, former Majority Leader and U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, 10th Architect of the Capitol Alan Hantman.
His work includes seven U.S presidential cabinet members, four former U.S. Ambassadors, seven U.S. senators, over a dozen Federal Judges, four U.S. governors, actors, and heads of universities. He has painted notable figures such as President George H. W. Bush, actor Morgan Freeman, jazz great Ron Carter, comedian Jimmy Fallon, journalist Carl Bernstein, authors Jon Meacham, Margaret Atwood, Colm Toibin and Doris Kearns Goodwin, fashion designers Anna Sui, Naeem Kahn, Valerie Steele, as well as Henry Lewis Gates Jr., former United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Sir Malcolm Colquhoun, Chief of Clan Colquhoun, 9th Baronet, 31st of Colquhoun and 33rd of Luss, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Neal has painted portraits for major universities including Vanderbilt, Kent State, William and Mary, Yale, Columbia, Penn State, Northwestern, and Villanova and companies such as Cargill, HCA, and Hamilton Beach.
WWW Official Site

Early life

Neal was born November 23, 1968, in Nashville, Tennessee. A sixth generation Nashvillian, his family is of Scottish descent. Neal has been drawing since childhood, and he bought his first paint set at age 15 with money earned by bagging groceries. However, it wasn't until taking a painting class in college that he realized he could pursue art as a career. He shifted his focus from pre-med to graphic design and marketing, while continuing to spend countless hours in the painting studio.
Neal received his B.A. from Lipscomb University, and continued his studies at the Santa Fe Institute of Fine Arts, the Scottsdale Artist School, and Lyme Academy of Art.
His primary teacher for nearly 30 years was Everett Raymond Kinstler, an influential mentor whose relationship began with a letter correspondence in 1992. Kinstler had a direct artistic lineage to John Singer Sargent through artist Gordon Stevenson, who studied firsthand under Sargent.

Background

Using many of the techniques taught by the Old Masters, Neal continues to employ these skills to advance his growth as an artist. Neal's commission to paint Senator Arthur Vandenberg for the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. was the first portrait of its kind to be added to the Senate Reception Room in nearly 50 years. Neal received the commission at age 32, making him among the youngest artists ever commissioned by the United States Senate.
A protégé of the nation's leading portrait artist Everett Raymond Kinstler, Neal exhibited alongside Kinstler in a 2003 show entitled Realism Now: Mentors and Protégées at America's oldest gallery,, in Boston, Massachusetts. Neal continues to work in Kinstler's Manhattan studio, located behind the National Arts Club. The studio was occupied by Frank Vincent DuMond, followed by Neal’s mentor, Everett Raymond Kinstler, who painted in the space for 66 years. Neal is the third painter to work in the studio in over 100 years.
Along with these various achievements, Neal has also written dozens of magazine articles and is the author of two books; The Art of Seeing: Everett Raymond Kinstler on Painting and Portrait Painting: My Point of View.
His work has been featured in publications such as American Artist, International Artist, Artist's Sketchbook, The Artist's Magazine, Art News, Fine Art Connoisseur, Roll Call, The Hill, New York Magazine, and AskMen.com. In 2025, his New York studio was featured in a video tour by .
Neal has been elected to membership to the National Arts Club,,, and Portrait Society of America. He also serves on the board of directors of the, the board of trustees of the in Worcestershire, England, and the . He previously served on the board of the and and the Executive Board of Trustees for . He is also a member of the, the of New York, the, the, the, the, and the, among others. Neal was listed among 20 rising stars in the world of art by American Artist.

Awards