If you’ve ever fantasized about stumbling into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, TikToker Michael Shane Neal (@brushwithstyle) has a story that will make you believe in destiny. Neal is a portrait artist living in New York City, specifically in Gramercy Park at the National Arts Club.
He currently serves as the chairman of the Portrait Society of America. He started his career as an artist at 21 years old and has completed more than 600 portraits that are on display around the world.
Neal has become the third artist to work in his studio space since 1906. Recently, he took to TikTok to explain how he actually landed the highly coveted space in the first place.
“The club owns these spaces,” he explained. “There are about 20 residents or so, and there are about six studios. The way it works is that members who are approved and come for the viewing can then put their names in a hat. And then, in the grand gallery downstairs, they draw a name out of the hat, and that person gets the studio.”
Neal followed the process, attended the viewing, and stuck his name in the hat. Then, he waited. No one contacted him about it the next day, so he figured he hadn’t been chosen for the spot.
However, his daughter urged him to call and find out who got the studio space. It was a good thing she did because that call changed everything.
After some convincing, he finally phoned the office. A lady answered the phone and put him on hold for two or three minutes.
When she came back on the line, she announced that he had been the only person who showed up at the viewing. As a result, he was awarded the studio.
At that time, it was the fall of 2020, a period marked by uncertainty and lockdowns. Neal truly believes that the timing was everything. He likely wouldn’t have won the studio space if he had entered either a few years before or a few years after.
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Sometimes, opportunity really does come down to being willing to show up when others don’t. Many TikTok users felt inspired by Neal’s story.
“I hope all the young artists out there see this and see what’s possible. When I was in art school, they basically couldn’t tell me what kind of job I could get when I got out, and I gave up, but look at what’s possible!” exclaimed one user.
“This was such a treat to watch. And a lesson in ‘do the work’ and ‘just show up.’ Imagine being the only one who showed up for an opportunity like this!” wrote another.
“My aunt lived in a rooftop penthouse in Gramercy Park and painted a mural on her balcony back in the ’50s,” chimed in a third.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
