Michael Shane Neal is among the most sought after commissioned portrait artists in America today.

Beginning his career as a full time artist in 1990, Neal recently completing portraits of such luminaries as Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, former Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, and Federal Chief Judge Anthony Scirica.

Listed among 20 contemporary artists "On the Rise" in The Artist Magazine's annual survey in 2004, Neal's unique, sensitive and insightful paintings display a commitment for portraying not just the outer likeness of his subjects, but their character and personality as well. A self-described “people person” Neal enthusiastically shares his excitement for interpreting his clients on canvas in a traditional yet painterly style.

Neal's current commissions include former Majority Leader and U.S. Senator Bill Frist, Sir Malcom Calquhoun for Rossdhu House in Luss, Scotland, and Oscar award winning actor Morgan Freeman for the Players Club in New York.

Since beginning a full time career as an artist at the age of 21, his dedication to quality and passion for his work has lead to the successful completion of portraits on display around the country. Of particular note was the commission to paint Senator Arthur Vandenberg for the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Vandenberg’s portrait is the first commission of its kind in nearly 50 years, and upon receiving the commission at the age of 32, Neal is among the youngest artists ever commissioned by the United States Senate.

A protégée of the nations leading artist and presidential portraitist Everett Raymond Kinstler (a second generation student of John Singer Sargent), in 2003 Neal exhibited along side Kinstler in a show entitled Realism Now: Mentors and Protégées at the Vose Galleries in Boston, Massachusetts. Neal is the Grand Prize winner of the 2001 Portrait Society of America International Portrait Competition and recently received the Catherine Lorilland Wolfe Award from the National Arts Club and the Tara Fredrix Award from the Audubon Artists of America, both for landscape. In 2004, he received the Artist’s Magazine Award of Excellence at the Oil Painters of America National Exhibition.

Receiving his B.A. from David Lipscomb University, Neal recently received the "Young Alumnus of the Year Award" from his alma mater. He has also studied at the Santa Fe Institute of Fine Arts, The Scottsdale Artist School, and the Lyme Academy of Art. Carving out time for teaching each year, Neal is a popular demonstrator and lecturer at venues around the country. His work has been featured in publications such as American Artist, International Artist, Sketchbook, and The Artist’s Magazine, Art News, Fine Art Connoisseur, and Art Collector Magazine.

Neal is an executive board member of the Portrait Society of America and Cheekwood Museum of Art. An Exhibiting Artist member of the National Arts Club, he is also a member the Allied Artists of America, the Artist Fellowship, the Cumberland Society of Painters, the Audubon Artists, the Players Club of New York, the Salmagundi Club of New York, the Copley Society of Boston, and the Lotos Club of New York.

A recent graduate of Leadership Nashville class of 2010, Neal is also a member of the Exchange Club of Nashville and an active member of his church. Neal enjoys community outreach projects, golf, plein air landscape painting, and reading with a particular interest in history. The father of two, Neal and his wife reside near his studio located minutes from downtown Nashville.