New Clinton portraits unveiled for National Portrait Gallery

Carol Norton · 04-25-2006, 09:58 PM

I am so glad to read that the artist's name was revealed. He/she was never named on the news on Channel 3 here in AZ tonight, so all I saw and heard here was that the portrait was way too sexy and far too unusual for a presidential portait group. Couldn't wait to see who had painted Pres. Clinton. Now I know, thanks to this forum.

Personal opinion: I enjoyed the painting. Of course, I always look at technique, so my view may have narrow blinders on as far as world opinion.

What did the media mean when they said that this president looked too human??? Oh, my gosh. I am so disillusioned.

Elizabeth Schott · 04-26-2006, 10:15 AM

It's one of my favorite Shanks now.

Alex did you see the dress form casting reflective light?

Carol I don't know if this was what you were hinting too, but every news cast I saw - not one mentioned the artist name! What's with that?

Garth Herrick · 04-26-2006, 10:30 AM

Yes, I heard no artist names mentioned on the news either. On the NBC Nightly News last night, Brian Williams was scripted to say something to the effect, about the president's portrait, that one critic likened it as nothing more than a badly rendered portrait of Ted Koppel! That's about all that he was scripted to say about it, except that reviews of Hillary's portrait were generally better.

Garth

Carol Norton · 04-26-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Schott

It's one of my favorite Shanks now.
Carol I don't know if this was what you were hinting too, but every news cast I saw - not one mentioned the artist name! What's with that?

Yes Beth. I could only watch one channel, so I didn't know what the others were saying. Sounds like the press release didn't include the artist's name. Shame on "Them" whoever "Them" was that wrote it.

There was no mention of the artist that painted Hillary either.

Lacey Lewis · 04-26-2006, 02:00 PM

I am not sure how to link to a video on CNN.com, but this morning I saw a video clip that was picking on Bill Clinton's portrait quite a bit, and also highlighted Hillary Clinton's portrait.

Anyone else see if or interested in linking to it here?

Lacey Lewis · 04-26-2006, 02:06 PM

Let's see if this works:

LINK

Garth Herrick · 04-26-2006, 02:49 PM

Thanks Lacey, great link! Yikes....

I guess we better be extra careful to avoid insinuating poses when we paint presidents; not that this portrait actually has such a problem, but evidently people will read the most marvelous insights into portraits and poses, warranted or not.

I guess we all need a degree in popular body language studies.

Garth

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lacey Lewis

Let's see if this works:

LINK

Tom Edgerton · 04-27-2006, 08:23 AM

I don't believe that Simmie Knox was named initially when the Clinton White House portraits were unveiled. Print media picked it up, but the nightly news pieces didn't name the artist then, either. I guess the paintings just spontaneously generate themselves. Immaculate conception.

Sharon Knettell · 04-27-2006, 10:01 AM

I don't know, I think Shanks caught our most famous lounge lizard in just the right pose. I always thought, as well as dear Diana, that he was quite dishy. So did the women of the press corps. This revelation just drove my husband nuts!

I do hope that if I were ever to get a presidential commission that it would be the president of Namibia or some such country because a loud and garish costume with a feather or two wouldn't be considered too outre.

John Reidy · 04-27-2006, 05:17 PM

To add to the silly comments, last night it was reported that Bill's wedding band was absent from his left hand and quoted Shanks as saying he felt it wasn't important.

I was glad that at least the artists name was mentioned but wouldn't you know it was only in relationship to the wedding band.

News mediums are like great dragons that need to be fed 24 hours a day. Quantity not quality.