Chicago artist opens up about painting Oprah for Smithsonian

CHICAGO - Shawn Michael Warren, a 36-year-old artist from Chicago, has achieved a momentous milestone as his portrait of Oprah Winfrey was added to the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

Having grown up watching Oprah's show, Warren was commissioned to work on a public mural of the media mogul in 2020, which became known as Chicago's largest public mural. Although Oprah did not see the mural in person, she later called on Warren to paint her portrait for the Smithsonian.

"I ended up seeing a picture of the mural, not even the actual mural, and from the picture, there was an energy that came through and expressed everything I try to live and try to be," said Oprah.

"I got a comment on my post on Instagram from Oprah, and she said she was amazed at it," Warren said.

In 2020, the Smithsonian provided Oprah with 227 names of artists to paint her for the National Portrait Gallery, but Warren's name was not on the list.

"The path to being an artist isn't easy," Warren said.

However, Oprah advocated for Warren, ensuring the museum recognized his talent.

"I said I think he's the one," Oprah remarked.

Warren and Oprah unveiled the portrait together, standing nearly seven feet tall and taking ten months to complete. All the work was done in Chicago before being transported to Washington DC for display.

"I started the painting at Loyola University's Museum of Art," Warren said. "The latter part of the painting I was able to complete at my home studio."

Now, Warren's work will be remembered alongside the greats in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

"Like many other households, she's been in ours," Warren said. It was a full-circle Chicago story."