Our Story
Leona Shanks: His Vision in Our Hands
Mission
Studio Incamminati provides a rigorous and comprehensive foundation in Realist painting, drawing upon deep Humanist values and remaining committed to keeping tuition as low as possible. Modeled on both the traditional Italian art academy and the French atelier, Studio Incamminati’s integrated curriculum produces highly skilled artists who can call upon their abilities to create art with depth of purpose. It is our hope that our students will go on to inspire others with their art and their teaching, and to make meaningful contributions to society with their talents.
Described as “one of the nation’s top art academies” by Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Studio Incamminati offers a variety of instructional programs; including short workshops, an Advanced Fine Arts Diploma, and a BFA with Rowan University. Founded by the world-renowned portraitist Nelson Shanks in 2002, the School is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
History
For two decades, Studio Incamminati has been at the forefront of the contemporary realist art movement. Founded by Nelson and Leona Shanks, it is now recognized internationally for its rigorous curriculum, accomplished instructors, and diverse outreach efforts. The School’s name is rich with history and symbolism. In Italian, “Incamminati” means “those who are moving forward” and it invokes the spirit of its namesake studio founded by Annibale Carracci, the painter who quelled the confusion of late Renaissance Mannerism by reintroducing both Nature and the Classical tradition as twin polestars for many generations of artists to come.
At Studio Incamminati, we are committed to the belief that the mastery of technique empowers creative expression. We aim enable artists to call upon their training and abilities in order to create art with depth of purpose. Modeled on the traditional Italian accademia and the French atelier, our School centers on an innovative curriculum in order to channel a fresh, contemporary sensibility when fusing the classical traditions of the Renaissance-era masters with the luminous color of the Impressionists. The School’s artists, faculty, and alumni have been featured at numerous prominent venues including exhibitions at the National Arts Club, NYC; S.R. Brennen Galleries, Santa Fe, and Philadelphia’s Comcast Center.
Studio Incamminati, one of the few schools of its type accredited by the National Associations of Schools of Art and Design, seeks to meet the needs of a wide range of art students. At the school’s core is its renowned Advanced Fine Art Diploma Program, along with a BFA offered in partnership with Rowan University. Our short programming includes intensive, exploratory workshops open to the general public, taught both in Philadelphia and nationwide through the “In Your Town” extramural initiative. We run vibrant programs for high-school students at campuses around the city as well as professional courses for art educators. We take particular pride in our tailored programs for individuals with disabilities and special challenges.
Founders
Nelson Shanks (1937 – 2015) — painter, art historian, teacher, connoisseur, and collector– distilled the foundational principles of Studio Incamminati from his lifelong experience with, and devotion to the arts.
Among his notable portrait sitters are President William Jefferson Clinton; Diana, Princess of Wales; Charles, Lord Spencer; and His Holiness Pope John Paul II. Significant commissions include Luciano Pavarotti for the Metropolitan Opera, Mstislav Rostropovich for the Kennedy Center, and Denyce Graves for the National Portrait Gallery. His work has been exhibited at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Kensington Palace in London, and Fortezza Firmafede in Sarzana (IT), Kensington Palace in London, the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, and the Russian Academy of Art in Moscow. For more on Nelson Shanks, click here.
Leona Shanks
Leona Shanks, a Studio Incamminati instructor, was awarded First Place in juried competition of Inspiring Figures: American Women and Figurative Art. Her work also was featured in the accompanying exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art.
Leon Shanks was a top finalist in the Art Renewal Center’s International ARC Salon worldwide competition. Her solo exhibition, Searching the Soul, was featured at Dacia Gallery in New York.
Also an accomplished sculptor, Leona won the Edmund Stewardson Award for Sculpture. Her works hang in many private collections and have been widely exhibited.
