Portrait Gallery
Robert Shetterly’s portraits of American truth-tellers, painted on wood panels, measure 36 inches tall by 30 inches wide. He uses brushes, palette knives and his fingers to complete each painting and a dental pick to etch the quote into the surface. Pause to look at the face, the eyes. Take a moment to read the quote. The portraits are the opposite of hot takes or quick opinions. They invite you to ponder a person, their words, the issues that inspire their life’s journey, work, activism, and imagination. And then they welcome you into that vital conversation — across time and space — about what it means to be an American citizen.
Our full gallery includes more than 260 portraits of American Truth Tellers. Each portrait has etched on it a quote. Look at the art and read the story of each of these activists. Which Truth Tellers inspire you?
Portrait Gallery
