episode 36 - Nelson Shanks - part 01

Painter Nelson Shanks has been called America's preeminent realist painter. A recipient of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Distinguished Arts Award, the state's highest recognition for achievement in the arts, Shanks has painted many of the iconic figures of our age, including Pope John Paul II, Princess Diana, Margaret Thatcher, Luciano Pavarotti, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Shanks explains that he advocates realism because of nature's great variety, discusses how he works to convey the deep context of his subjects to reveal their character, and speaks about painting Princess Diana. This segment includes images of several portraits by Nelson Shanks.