Artist Biography
Widely known for his innovative and somewhat controversial portraits of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Aaron Shikler remains at the forefront of contemporary American portraiture and Realism. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Shikler trained at the Tyler School of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before entering the studio of renowned abstract expressionist, Hans Hoffmann. Perhaps influenced by Hoffmann’s more liberal mode of painting, Shikler developed a style that balances Realism with expression, creating unique portraits that defy the genre’s typical parameters. In addition to his portraits of the Kennedys, Shikler was also commissioned to paint
Widely known for his innovative and somewhat controversial portraits of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Aaron Shikler remains at the forefront of contemporary American portraiture and Realism. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Shikler trained at the Tyler School of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before entering the studio of renowned abstract expressionist, Hans Hoffmann. Perhaps influenced by Hoffmann’s more liberal mode of painting, Shikler developed a style that balances Realism with expression, creating unique portraits that defy the genre’s typical parameters. In addition to his portraits of the Kennedys, Shikler was also commissioned to paint likenesses of President Ronald Regan and Nancy Regan. Shikler’s work (along with that of David Levine) formed the subject of an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 1971; today, his works are viewable at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the White House, and the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC.
Widely known for his innovative and somewhat controversial portraits of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Aaron Shikler remains at the forefront of contemporary American portraiture and Realism. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Shikler trained at the Tyler School of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before entering the studio of renowned abstract expressionist, Hans Hoffmann. Perhaps influenced by Hoffmann’s more liberal mode of painting, Shikler developed a style that balances Realism with expression, creating unique portraits that defy the genre’s typical parameters. In addition to his portraits of the Kennedys, Shikler was also commissioned to paint likenesses of President Ronald Regan and Nancy Regan. Shikler’s work (along with that of David Levine) formed the subject of an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 1971; today, his works are viewable at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the White House, and the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC.
