New exhibit honors Maine ‘truth-tellers’
Portraits by Robert Shetterly highlight work of community leaders and activists
June 9, 2026
By Marilyn Eckberg
BROOKSVILLE—This month, 'The Gallery Within' at Reversing Falls Sanctuary is displaying 22 portraits of Maine 'truth tellers' by painter Robert Shetterly. The exhibition showcases the mission of Shetterly’s decades long 'Americans Who Tell The Truth' project.
Zoe Weil, cofounder and president of the Institute for Humane Education, with her portrait. Photo by Marilyn Eckberg.
The project is aimed at inspiring “courageous citizenship” through "the integration of art, history, education and civic engagement." Viewers of the Brooksville exhibit will recognize community activists and leaders–many of whom are also friends and neighbors–from across the state.
For Shetterly, surrounding himself with “good people” was a balm for the anger he felt in response to the American government's response to the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. In the aftermath of that event and the U.S wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Shetterly began painting iconic 19th century Americans who struggled to make the country live up to its founding values. In early portraits, he added inspirational quotes attributed to Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and Walt Whitman. In later works, Shetterly added quotes from the subjects themselves. He named the collection 'Americans Who Tell The Truth.'
Originally, Shetterly figured he'd paint “maybe” 50 portraits. So far, he's created 285. He has painted peacemakers, climate change activists, sustainability advocates and educators, religious leaders, whistleblowers and musicians; all people who have worked for decades on social justice and civil rights issues.
In 2004, Shetterly formed a nonprofit organization to preserve the project and share the paintings as an educational tool. Shetterly's portraits have since traveled throughout the United States and are regularly exhibited in museums, libraries, galleries, schools, and community centers.
Shetterly said that once he chooses a subject for the series, he draws the figure on prepared boards and paints in the eyes. He then completes each likeness by layering successive acrylic colors using his fingers, palette knife and brushes; finally, he scratches in the quotes using a dental pic. Despite his background as a successful illustrator and printmaker, the painting process is self taught. Each portrait takes about 7 to 10 days to finish, he said.
Grouped together, these artworks present the cumulative energy of dozens of activists and change makers, and viewers are invited to join each other–and Shetterly–in seeking truthfulness, dignity, respect and justice.