General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGeorge W. Bush is not a particularly awful painter
He's a war criminal, and a class-war criminal.
He murdered countless thousands of people to win an election in order to keep taxes low for the super-rich.
He really did that stuff.
But he is not a terrible artist, by the standards of retired people taking up painting as a pass-time. Not an impressive artist, merely not worse than run-of-the-mill.
He lacks skill, which is to be expected, but his sense of painting is surprisingly sophisticated for a true dumb-ass. I went to art school with people who wished they had Bush's spontaneous acceptance of the flatness of the picture plane. There is something admirably un-conflicted about his rejection of a drawing being "right."
He reminds me of Bonnard or Valleton in that way. He is comfortable with a moving, subjective perspective. (Not a sophisticated subjective perspective like Cezanne, of course. There is nothing intellectual about Bush.)
Not on their level, of course, but if he were a child I would identify him as one who "got" something about painting, and thus would be able to progress. (Rather than merely becoming more practiced... more adept.)
Adjusted for their era (even amateur painters were quite technically accomplished, from our perspective, back in the day so Churchill's work looks more legit), Bush may be on par with Churchill. As an artist.
As a leader of a nation under attack... not so much. Churchill was a great leader, while Bush was a pants-wetting mental weakling who most folks wouldn't follow out of a burning building in real life.
Hitler was a much, much better draftsman than Bush, but Bush's work is more likable.
All in all, I would have to say that George W. Bush's paintings are the least offensive thing about the man.
alsame
(7,784 posts)potential.
He should have made painting his career and stayed out of the public sphere, the whole world would have been better off.
Dorian Gray
(13,496 posts)(Godwin???)
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)Gidney N Cloyd
(19,840 posts)deutsey
(20,166 posts)They remind me of what a somewhat talented high school student might do.
However, a few (if not most) of them are also so flat and lacking in humanity, that I think they may inadvertantly reveal something about Bush's inner life, such as it is.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)Only half way on the savant side though. He's full blown on the idiot side.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Of course, very few are as bad as Thomas Kincade.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Other than those that love cute commercials, candy floss, and consider the The Real Wives of Beverly Hills educational.
Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)Talk about getting born with a silver spoon in her mouth and Bush has no right to get so much attention just because his paintings weren't a dud. One also should consider he has an art teacher instructing him every week. He isn't doing this all on his own like a typical painter with 2 years experience. With all this hoopla and his name, he's going to get big bucks for his paintings. I hope he donates a lot to homeless shelters for people and animals...especially dogs. How about a trust fund for some local shelters?
This is another example of the advantage in life rich, famous people have that others don't. Yet these same people want to take away everything they can from the poor and suggest they should just pull themselves up by the bootstrap.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,840 posts)undeterred
(34,658 posts)sendero
(28,552 posts)... in EVERY area of life. Bush just found his bit of talent.
itsrobert
(14,157 posts)painted as well. Just saying.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)There. I said something nice about that fucking turd. Do I get into heaven now?
TeeYiYi
(8,028 posts)...the sarcasm thingy?
TYY
hollowdweller
(4,229 posts)I just wish he would have made a career of it at about age 40.
Kermitt Gribble
(1,855 posts)Chopping wood probably polled better than painting for the fake Texas Cowboy image that was marketed to the American public.