Ever since he left the White House in 2009, former President George W. Bush has led a fairly private life, making a conscious effort to stay out of the spotlight.
While Bush has refrained from making a scene of himself, he has made a splash in the world of painting, taking up the artistic venue as his newest passion in life.
For years, President Bush was known as a prolific cyclist, but it wasn’t until he left the Oval Office that his creativity emerged, and it has spawned a successful painting endeavor.
Now, President Bush is taking his painting career one step further.
He will host his own portrait exhibit entitled “Portraits of Courage,” featuring “66 of the former president’s oil-painted portraits of American military veterans. The exhibition also features the vets’ stories of heroism. It runs through Oct. 1 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas.”
From USA Today:
The president also is selling a book of his portraits. Proceeds from the book and the exhibit will go to the George W. Bush Presidential Center and the organization’s Military Service Initiative, which advocates for post-9/11 military veterans.
“Portraits of Courage” won’t be the president’s first art showing. In 2014, “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy” featured portraits of world leaders, including the Dalai Lama, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and past English Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Bush, during a 2014 appearance on Today, said he painted a pensive, peering Russian President Vladimir Putin to display the leader’s world view.
Last November, the former President posted a picture on Instagram highlighting his love of painting and his work on 98 portraits honoring the Wounded Warriors he had the honor of meeting over the years:
In addition to painting America’s veterans, Bush is known to paint world leaders he has gotten to know over the years, including Vladimir Putin, and his father George H.W. Bush:
President Bush’s tribute to America’s Wounded Warriors through his paintings is an amazing way to honor those individuals who have given the greatest sacrifice to this country.
What are your thoughts on President Bush taking up painting in recent years? Do you think his tribute to America’s Wounded Warriors is fitting? Share your thoughts below!