Everything about Michael Shane Neal nods to the sophistication and splendor of the past: the bespoke three-piece suits he wears six days a week, the English manor-style home where he resides and works, and, perhaps most significantly, his livelihood as a portrait artist. Neal's impressive career has spanned 25 years, beginning when he was still a student at Lipscomb University, and includes 600 portraits of celebrities and politicians, ranging from Jimmy Fallon to Sandra Day O'Connor.
Who have been some of your favorite clients?
I really do find most everybody interesting. But you always end up with some favorites. Locally, I painted [federal judge] George Paine ... and I just enjoy him so much. Martha Ingram — she is just such a class act all the way through, and I have enjoyed every minute working with her.
Arlen Specter was a senator from Pennsylvania. ... I think he was voted twice by the Press Corps at the Capitol as the meanest United States senator. He had a nickname: Snarlin' Arlen. By the time I arrived in Philadelphia for our first visit, I was kind of nervous. The first evening I found him to be a little bit gruff. ... As the weekend went on, I liked him more and more. He became as charming as you would expect any gifted politician to become. But I liked him for his honesty and his ability to just speak his mind.
What have been some of the more surreal moments throughout your career?
Standing next to George Bush at the unveiling of the portrait of Bill Frist. I'll never forget sitting at that unveiling directly behind Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense [Donald] Rumsfeld, and I'm thinking, 'I can't believe I'm in this room.' Of course that would be frightening for some people, but for me, all politics aside, it was just amazing.
The first day that I spent with Sandra Day O'Connor, I was told that I had an hour-and-a-half with her. ... She suddenly said to me, "We're going to have lunch out in the courtyard. Have them do fajitas or something." We sat out in the sun, and I had lunch with Sandra Day O'Connor. This one-and-a-half hour meeting turned into six hours.
When I painted the governor of Tennessee, Phil Bredesen, that was pretty remarkable to have the sitting governor coming to my studio to pose, and he had such an interest in art, and he loves painting. He had memorized the series of colors on my palette by the second sitting.
When was the last time you felt elated to get a commission?
This [current] one to paint the grand-nephew of John Singer Sargent in London where he lives. Last week, to get on that plane to go to London knowing that I was going to meet this grand-nephew pre-eminent expert on John Singer Sargent was a thrill.
Who's on your dream list of clients?
President of the United States, which I want to paint some day if I'm lucky enough. I'm too young now, but I hope some day.
Read a longer version of this interview on Country Life, our arts and culture blog.
More From the 2015 People Issue
The Textile Designer: Andra Eggleston / The Transformer: Bill Schleicher / The Chief: Steve Anderson / The Bookseller: Yusef Harris / The Producer: Dave Cobb / The Rookie: Filip Forsberg / The Pedal Steel-Playing Pilot: Joshua Motohashi / The Weathermen: David Drobny & Will Minkoff / The Punk Neuroscientist: Kale Edmiston / The Kitchen Artist: Karla Ruiz / The Metalhead: Kayla Phillips / The Image Master: kogonada / The Bartender: Lee Parrish / The Professor: Lisa Guenther / The Advocate: Marisa Richmond / The Captains: Kellie Hurst & Regina Durkan / The Painter: Michael Shane Neal / The Tunesmith: Shane McAnally
