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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/04/george-w-bush-paintings-world-leaders-today-show/7294133/

WASHINGTON -- Get ready, Tony Blair: George W. Bush captured what he believes is your essence on canvas.

The former president walked through an exhibit of his paintings with daughter Jenna Bush Hager for a story that aired Friday on NBC's Today show.

Bush's portraits of world leaders such as Blair, the former British prime minister, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Dalai Lama and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai are on display at his presidential library in Dallas.

The exhibit, "The Art of Leadership: A President's Personal Diplomacy," includes photographs and other memorabilia from Bush's visits with these leaders.

The portrait of Blair, in a suit jacket with a blue shirt and red tie, bears a reasonable likeness to the British leader who became a close friend during the early years of the Iraq war. "I like it because it conveys a compassionate person and a strong and reliable friend, " Bush said.

The former president said he wanted his portrait of Putin -- which looks somewhat abstract and captures the Russian's intense gaze -- to reflect what he believed was the Russian leader's world view. He recalled introducing Putin to the family's beloved Scottish terrier, Barney, who was kind of "dissed" by Putin. Later, Putin introduced Bush to his dog, whom the Russian said was "bigger, stronger and faster."

"Vladimir is a person who in many ways views the United States as an enemy," Bush said. "I felt he saw the world as either the U.S. benefits and Russia loses or vice versa."



I literally have no words

He found a hobby he can truly enjoy. Being President is a terrible job: half the country hates you, everybody thinks they can do a better job, and you have to live with blood on your hands no matter what decision you make about anything (not just war). I'm happy that he is able to relax now and find time for himself. He's not the best artist out there (but hey, look at my gallery pictures, who am I to talk) and part of his artistic fame will be the fact that he's an ex-president. But more power to him.

Not too bad, actually.

Good to see that he found a hobby.

He's not as good as Hitler.

 Smacks wrote:
He's not as good as Hitler.

I guess all the people with the Bush = Hitler signs were wrong

He's actually pretty good, compaired to anything I could scrap together.

Not bad, not great. With practice, hopefully he improves, but as long as he's happy doing it, that's what matters.

And I'm one of those people who hated him being in office, and I'm glad he can focus on his art.

And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

Hands up those who were expecting crayon.

Good, makes it easier to count the fools.

He has been an artist for a fair while hasn't he?

 Corpsesarefun wrote:
He has been an artist for a fair while hasn't he?

Yeah, I saw him on Leno some time ago I think, and he gave Leno a painting he did. It wasn't bad. Certainly won't end up in a fine arts museum, but worlds better then anything I'll ever be able to do.

As for the snarky comments... well I supposed class can't be found everywhere.

Oh... artist!

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Not bad, not great. With practice, hopefully he improves, but as long as he's happy doing it, that's what matters.

And I'm one of those people who hated him being in office, and I'm glad he can focus on his art.

It might be interesting to see the story of his presidency and the things he focuses on unfold through his art, to see how things that impressed him deeply make their way to canvas.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

I agree, we should mock him for trying to do something he seems to love doing, and slowly getting better at it with practice. Especially considering they're not hilariously bad.

This is coming from a guy who really hated the Bush presidency.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

They aren't though, are they?

 Corpsesarefun wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

They aren't though, are they?

Only if you're the type of guy who just wants to point at Bush and say "bad". I personally think they're respectable.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

Good thing he is doing it as a hobby, huh. But hey, I didn't realize you were the type who did that. All good huh.

Classy.

They are by no means fine art but if a friend were to paint something like that for me I would be proud to hang it in my home.

Some of those are rather good.

I saw some of them in the paper this morning. They were actually pretty good.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

They really aren't that bad. His pictures of animals are a lot better than his pictures of faces too. Also, are you really going to criticize someone practicing a painting hobby on a forum centered around painted miniatures? Will you treat new war gaming hobbyists with the same disrespect and bullying?

I feel bad for Bush, the guy had a rough eight years no matter what side you were on. Now he's embraced a hobby and clearly loves it and has the confidence to let his paintings be shown to the world and so many people out there are just laughing at his actually decent skills.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
And why do you have no words, hotsauce? Please do explain why him painting for a hobby is such a 'oh I have no words' thing.

Puh-leeze. Save the dramatic posturing for something actually worthwhile.

They are hilariously bad.

Grow up.

They're not "hilariously bad" at all and who cares if they were? Don't criticize the man over his hobbies; it is childish and petty.

They're not very good, but for as much as I disliked his presidency, at the very least, I can be happy for him to have found a hobby that he loves, and something that he can feel compelled to improve in. We all have to start somewhere.

Finally, a job he is at least reasonably good at.

Well, for a hobbyist, at least.

Ok, Ok, they are ok and im glad he found something

It's not great art.

But better than anything I can do.

Better than 99 percent of everyone I have ever met who called them selves an artist. It's more like dead dog s--- than art.

Would rather but W's art than most of what I have seen.

Tydil wrote:
I feel bad for Bush, the guy had a rough eight years no matter what side you were on. Now he's embraced a hobby and clearly loves it and has the confidence to let his paintings be shown to the world and so many people out there are just laughing at his actually decent skills.

The thing is, I doubt Bush cares overly much what people think of his work. He's never struck me as lacking self-confidence.