He was a world leader. Now he’s a guy in a smock.
Honestly, nobody saw the George W. Bush painting era coming. When a hacker named "Guccifer" leaked those private photos in 2013, the internet didn't just break—it paused in collective confusion. There he was, the 43rd President of the United States, captured in a selfie reflecting off a bathroom mirror while he scrubbed his back in a bathtub. But he wasn’t just bathing; he was painting himself bathing.
It was weird. It was intimate. It was deeply human in a way that political optics rarely allow.
Most people figured it was a fleeting retirement hobby, something to kill time between golf rounds in Dallas. They were wrong. Over a decade later, the body of work produced by George W. Bush has moved from "celebrity curiosity" to something art critics actually have to take seriously, whether they want to or not. He isn't just "dabbling." He’s obsessed.
The Unexpected Origins of the Brush
It started with an essay. Specifically, Winston Churchill’s "Painting as a Pastime." Bush read it and felt a spark. He didn't just buy some paints; he hired a teacher. He told his first instructor, Gail Norfleet, "There’s a Rembrandt trapped in this body. Your job is to find him."
He wasn't joking.
He spent months working in total secrecy. He painted dogs—mostly his Scottish Terrier, Barney. He painted landscapes. But those early bathroom self-portraits are what changed the narrative. Art critics like Jerry Saltz actually praised them for their "innocent" and "unconscious" qualities. There was a strange, haunting vulnerability in seeing a man who sent a nation to war focusing so intently on the ripples of water in a tub or the curve of a shower stall.
Learning the Craft
Bush didn't stay in the "naive" phase for long. He started studying under Sedrick Huckaby, a respected Texas artist known for his heavy impasto and soulful portraits. Huckaby didn't go easy on him. He pushed the former president to move beyond simple likenesses and find the "breath" in his subjects.
You can see the shift. The paint gets thicker. The colors get bolder. The strokes get more aggressive.
If you look at his early work compared to his 2017 collection, Portraits of Courage, the technical jump is massive. He stopped trying to make things look "perfect" and started trying to make them look real. It’s the difference between a postcard and a diary entry.
Why George W. Bush Painting Provokes Such Strong Reactions
Art is never just about the paint. It’s about the person holding the brush.
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When people look at a George W. Bush painting, they aren't just seeing a portrait of a veteran. They are seeing the Iraq War. They are seeing 9/11. They are seeing a legacy that remains one of the most polarizing in American history. This creates a fascinating tension in the gallery.
Can you separate the art from the administration?
Some critics argue that his art is a form of "rehabilitation"—a way to soften his image and distance himself from the controversies of his presidency. Others see it as a genuine, perhaps even penitent, attempt to connect with the people whose lives were forever changed by his decisions.
The Veteran Portraits
The most significant turn in his art career came when he decided to paint the men and women he sent into combat.
Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors isn't just a book; it’s a massive project involving 66 full-color portraits and a four-panel mural. These aren't idealized versions of soldiers. He paints their scars. He paints the prosthetic limbs. He paints the "thousand-yard stare" of PTSD.
Bush knows these people. He’s biked with them. He’s played golf with them at his ranch in Crawford. Because he has a personal relationship with the sitters, the paintings feel heavy. There is a weight of responsibility in every brushstroke. Whether you love him or hate him, it's hard to look at his portrait of Sergeant First Class Michael Rodriguez and not feel something.
It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s honest.
The Technique: What’s Actually Happening on the Canvas?
Let's talk shop. Bush uses oils. He likes "thick" paint—that impasto style where you can see the ridges left by the brush.
He doesn't do much sketching beforehand. He dives right in. This leads to a certain "wonkiness" in his proportions, but in the art world, that’s often called "character." His palette is surprisingly bright. He uses a lot of vivid blues, ochres, and fleshy pinks.
- The Eyes: He spends a disproportionate amount of time on the eyes. He’s admitted that if he doesn't get the eyes right, the whole thing feels dead.
- The Backgrounds: Often minimalist. He wants the focus on the human face. He isn't interested in painting trees or buildings anymore; he’s interested in the "internal weather" of his subjects.
- The Speed: He paints fast. He’s prolific. He spends hours every day in his studio in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas.
It’s worth noting that he isn't selling these for personal profit. The proceeds from his books and exhibits go to the George W. Bush Presidential Center and its Military Service Initiative, which helps veterans transition back to civilian life. That fact complicates the "rehabilitation" argument. He’s putting his work—and the money it generates—directly back into the community he impacted most.
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Critiquing the Critic: Is It Actually Good?
If his name were George Smith, would these paintings be in a museum?
Probably not. At least, not yet.
But that's a bit of a moot point. In art, provenance and context are everything. A painting by a former president carries a historical weight that a "better" painting by an unknown artist simply doesn't have.
Art critic Peter Schjeldahl once noted that Bush has a "surprising" talent. He wasn't being condescending. He meant that Bush possesses a natural sense of composition and an ability to convey empathy that many trained artists struggle with. He isn't a "great" painter in the technical sense of a Da Vinci, but he is a "sincere" painter. In a world of cynical, high-concept contemporary art, that sincerity is jarring.
It’s also kinda funny. There’s something inherently humorous about a man who was once the most powerful person on earth worrying about whether he got the shade of a dog’s nose right.
The Cultural Impact of the Bush Aesthetic
Believe it or not, the George W. Bush painting phenomenon has influenced how we view "outsider art" in the 21st century. It has opened up a conversation about what famous people do with their "afterlife."
Usually, ex-presidents build libraries and give six-figure speeches. Bush did that, sure, but he also retreated into a world of turpentine and pigment. It’s a very solitary, quiet existence compared to the roar of Air Force One.
It has also humanized him for a segment of the population that spent eight years protesting him. It’s much harder to demonize someone when you see them struggling to capture the likeness of a wounded warrior. It doesn't erase the past, but it adds a layer of complexity to the man.
He’s even painted other world leaders. He did a portrait of Vladimir Putin that he famously showed to the Russian leader. Putin wasn't impressed. He reportedly hated it because it made him look "too stern" or perhaps too human. Bush also painted Angela Merkel and Tony Blair. These portraits are fascinating because they are essentially "insider" looks at the faces of power, painted by someone who sat across the table from them.
How to See His Work for Yourself
If you're curious, you don't have to break into a Dallas estate.
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The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas often has his work on display. His books, Portraits of Courage and Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants, are widely available. The latter focuses on the stories of 43 immigrants, highlighting their contributions to the country.
Again, he’s using his art to make a political point—albeit a softer, more humanitarian one than we usually see in the news cycle. He uses the canvas to advocate for a more compassionate view of immigration, which is a notable shift from the rhetoric often seen in modern politics.
Actionable Insights for the Aspiring Painter
What can we actually learn from the George W. Bush painting journey? Whether you're a fan of his politics or not, his path into art offers some pretty solid lessons for anyone looking to start a new chapter in life.
First, it’s never too late to be a beginner. Bush started in his 60s. He was terrible at first. He didn't care. He leaned into the "suck" until he got better. Most people are too afraid of looking foolish to try something new; he did it on a global stage.
Second, find a mentor. He didn't just watch YouTube tutorials. He sought out experts and told them to be honest. If you want to improve a skill, you need a feedback loop from someone who knows more than you do.
Third, paint what you know—or what haunts you. His best work isn't the landscapes; it’s the people. He found a subject matter that he was deeply, emotionally connected to. If you're going to create something, make sure it has stakes.
Finally, art is a process, not a product. Bush has talked about how the act of painting is what brings him peace. It’s a form of meditation. In a world that is constantly demanding "results" and "content," there is immense value in doing something just because it makes you feel more present.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into his style or start your own journey, here are a few steps to take:
- Read "Painting as a Pastime" by Winston Churchill. It’s the same book that inspired Bush, and it’s a quick, motivating read for any "late-bloomer" creative.
- Visit the Bush Center in Dallas. Seeing the scale of the Portraits of Courage mural in person is a different experience than seeing it in a book. The texture of the paint tells a story that a camera can't capture.
- Start a "Bad Art" journal. One of the reasons Bush succeeded was his willingness to produce a lot of mediocre work to get to the good stuff. Buy cheap supplies and give yourself permission to fail.
- Focus on the eyes. If you’re trying portraiture, follow Bush’s lead and spend the most time on the gaze. It’s where the soul of the painting lives.
The story of the George W. Bush painting career is still being written. He’s still in the studio. He’s still learning. And in a weird way, that might be his most relatable act yet.