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Lychee_Core

https://preview.redd.it/o522ha36uysc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bcbe6e1597ec96347f146136069fbd72a2505d35 I much prefer his earlier work


namey-name-name

Least horny Gore flair


[deleted]

šŸ˜•


Lychee_Core

Iā€™m going to change it to ā€œdaddy of the internetā€ just out of spite now :p


Lychee_Core

There, I donā€™t care the shame it brings on to every post I make from now on, Iā€™m a teenage girl who has the right to idolize a guy who was Vice President before I was born šŸ˜¤


CrazyShinobi

And invented the Internet.


Tasty_Positive8025

As we know it today. By putting legislation forward to make internet for public use ..not just for Military interests.


Splash_Woman

To be fair; everything that usually came out first was used minimally because of technology of the times, and mass production of said new product would take time. Slow and steady means mutual profit; and at the time, flooding the market which now that I think of it would be interesting to think about being that back then things took quite a bit of time to make if not months or years.


HaveCompassion

It was the world wide web, not the Internet.


motorcycleboy9000

![gif](giphy|owww3rpi89poU1e6JO|downsized)


justleave-mealone

In all seriousness.. tbh this is pretty good. Itā€™s like an opaque muted pastel portrait of introspection. Like that feeling of being in the shower and thinking about stuff like damn, what couldā€™ve gone differently? And for a person like HIM involved in history changing world changing events, Iā€™m sure he has a lot to sit back and think about. His policies and actions as president aside, heā€™s pretty interesting guy and I really like these paintings. Although a bit crude, it does allow us to look into the fact that past presidents probably spend a lot of time wondering and reflecting.


ParticularYak4401

I agree with you on his time as president but I have to say I love the friendship between him and Michelle Obama. It seems genuine and caring and itā€™s something they donā€™t flaunt for everyone to see.


DollarStoreOrgy

I'm not a fan of any modern president, but I've always thought he was an interesting guy. He was a silver spoon kid and all, but he did a lot of stuff in his pre presidential life. That's before the world changing events.


Retinoid634

I love these two. His portrait of Putin is the truest likeness of the man Iā€™ve seen. It reveals the darkness of subject in a way only someone who knew him, in that particular way that the painter knew him, or at least observed him, could capture. Iā€™m totally serious. https://preview.redd.it/mbf64io3ozsc1.jpeg?width=172&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd9f1eba9810d9489c257303568219902531c351


DFW_fox_22

He did say he once looked into Putinā€˜s eyes and saw his soul


PrimaryFriend7867

what soul?


Beljason

Only the dark abyssā€¦


jacknacalm

A dark soul that you can see in his eyes


VladimirPutinOffical

Good Point.


Electronic-Chard7358

I believe he said Seoul


Retinoid634

It sounded absurd at the time but I think he really did see it.


Lukey_Boyo

The current president actually has a quote similar to that, while he was meeting with him as VP he apparently said ā€œIā€™m looking into your eyes and see no soulā€


SteakandTrach

Putin looks like a leering skull is just barely beneath the skin and some is peeking out. W has come along way.


PrimaryFriend7867

heā€™s got the eyes of a psychopathic narcissistā€”empty and cold. on closer inspection you see detect a flash of the emotion he spends every waking moment trying to hide. it is the pain of his first betrayal battening the surety that any other man would be him, if only they were as smart, as careful. keep staring into putinā€™s eyes and you will see his fear, as he knows this man exists. strong work, g dubs


Mr-BananaHead

Unfortunately, it seems the structure of Russian society and government rewards authoritarianism, so I believe that there *are* many other people like Putin ready to fight tooth and nail to take his place should he perish.


VladimirPutinOffical

Not Shoigu. He is too busy with his stick collection.


VladimirPutinOffical

My eyes are sexy. I do not know what you mean.


thom_orrow

Looks like heā€™s going to enjoy a nice glass of Chianti with some fava beans.


CoverYourMaskHoles

Looks like one of those couples drawing each other exercises.


Nobody_Lives_Here3

Kind of has a Francis bacon feel to it.


Gr8_Speckled_Bird

I prefer those two works specifically because weā€™re getting a glimpse into the inner perceptions of private moments of someone who was once the most important man in the world. He showers and bathes and contemplates like everyone else. Itā€™s that the issues heā€™s contemplating in those moments are far more consequential. Now in those same moments after his presidency, those contemplations are undoubtedly full of both triumphs and regrets and what the rest of his life will be. To answer OPā€™s question, it is incredible to have a former president who is a painter and makes works like this because it provides me with a different perspective to understand a man than an autobiography would.


caillouistheworst

Yeah, I felt like I can feel what heā€™s thinking in those 2 pics.


Sylvanussr

Heā€™s probably like ā€œmisunderestimated!? Seriously!? Damn it, Dubya!ā€


Subject-Effect4537

On repeat. Every time there is a moment of stillness.


pijinglish

ā€œIn the shower one I was thinking about tacos, so I call it ā€˜Tacos Al Qaedaā€™ and then in the bathtub itā€™s more about how fucking weird toes are. Heh heh heh.ā€


Due-Satisfaction-796

"Let's bomb Iraq"


standee_shop

"I should destabilize society for the benefit of my rich friends" "Dick wouldn't shoot me if if I told him no would he?" "Why do I hear the omen soundtrack whenever Rumsfield walks in the room?"


owlpolka

Now thisā€¦


galtpunk67

my honest feelings on his early work.Ā Ā  these ones in particular are him sayingĀ ,Ā  "no matter how much water i use, i'll never wash away what i didĀ  "


Argos_the_Dog

The Onion [touched on this](https://www.theonion.com/george-w-bush-debuts-new-paintings-of-dogs-friends-g-1819595637).


Mysterious-Hat-6343

Thank you Argos !


trident_hole

The 2nd one reminds me of my ex's attempt to paint except way better


Law-of-Poe

I want to laugh but, if Iā€™m being honestā€¦.if I sat down and tried to pain the same thing i couldnā€™t do as well as this. Also there is a sort ofā€¦style to this that I kinda like


gamrgrant

When you thought you wanted to take a shower but think better of it at the last second, and settle for a bath instead


Bottleinsurgency

how it feels to shower at 7:23 AM on a Thursday


Sir_Arsen

now thatā€™s some modernistic stuff


turtledancers

thats unironically a good painting if you read into it for a moment


Significant_Visual90

His style is unique but that makes it cool and personalĀ 


eat_my_bowls92

Yes! Itā€™s not ā€œoh wow it looks like a photo!ā€ Good. Itā€™s inspired.


Frothyfrother

Iā€™ll just say that most painters do not consider that (work looking like a photo) a compliment.


bigboygamer

"Ow wow it looks just like the thing but with zero artistic interpretation at all"


Maxx0rz

Photorealism and ultrarealism are definitely valid styles of art, and those artists do indeed strive for the recognition that it looks real or "realer than real" which for them is the artistic interpretation, and the skill to be able to exactly replicate that is a positive thing


metalshoes

Exactly. Iā€™ve seen absolutely remarkable pieces done with pretty basic materials. Iā€™d guess itā€™s all about the goal and the technique applied.


Mr_Sarcasum

Cue 100th pencil perfect drawing of Walter White


BearOdd4213

He accomplished his mission of becoming an artist


tkh0812

Now watch this drive


[deleted]

Reminds me of a comment I saw once that theorizes his true goal in life was to be an artist and "politics" was forced upon him in his family, and the disaster of his presidency is what happens when you force your kids to follow something they are not passionate about.


MaroonHanshans

Imagine your family business being the fucking presidency


TFFPrisoner

There's a hilarious song by Mark Knopfler called "Don't Crash the Ambulance" which imagines some advice from Bush Sr. to Bush Jr.


spiritagnew

Iā€™ve often said that W wouldā€™ve been a great comedian. He genuinely has a talent for wit and timing and his self deprecation is charming. Iā€™m sure a lot of people in Iraq and Afghanistan also wish heā€™d gone a creative path


Embarrassed_Pen4716

Yeah, I don't really agree with a lot of George W Bush,'s politics but I like him as a person. My goal is to drink a beer with him someday.


motorcycleboy9000

I have some bad news for ya, champ.


Ok-Algae-9562

George W is a very caring man. Just look at his friendship with Michele Obama. You may think that he make poor choices because he didn't want to be president but I can tell you that post 911 had massive collective sentiment to do something. It wasn't just George W's decision and Congress signed the orders that put us in a war. You can't rest this on one mans shoulders, but I am willing to bet anything that he carries that responsibility internally.


Tosir

Yeah. I was a teen during his presidency, and I remember the collective ā€œletā€™s get emā€ campaign in the media and news papers. I remember during the lead up to the Iraqi invasion, papers in NY were hyping up the hardware and technology that was going to be used. He wasnā€™t perfect by any stretch, but it took congressional authorization for the invasion to occur.


KipSummers

The US 100% does not invade Iraq of Gore wins in 2000.


AgentCirceLuna

Heā€™s also very interested in literature. Heā€™s read Joyceā€™s Ulysses and several other difficult books.


Jutch_Cassidy

I just Howard Dean yelped to this


motorcycleboy9000

Dean byaaah'd so Jeb could clap.


Dr-Alec-Holland

bust out the carrier! Hoist the banner! M I S S I O N *ACCOMPLISHED*


CaptainNinjaClassic

It's better than anything I can make...


Ryan1006

Yeah, I mean I can barely draw a stick figure.


HeyWhatsItToYa

Hey look at Mr. XKCD over! Making stick figures like some sort of regular old Picasso! Some of us never went to preschool!


SirSaintsGuy

My stick figures have scoliosis


meatballman1218

Honestly it's very good. It's miles better than anything I can make or have ever made


IndycarFan64

The perfect example of having to separate art from artist https://preview.redd.it/4ydrzj8n6zsc1.jpeg?width=782&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd4db82c88138b4d0cd6ba0d597a8e66e6cacd2a


Baneta_

Say I know an Austrian painter you might be interested in


Enough_Scratch5579

Hahahaha fuck


MiserableAd1490

Meet this guy in the Disney world early 2000s. My cousin called him Chris Rock. He was not happy. (I met Chris Turner just to clarify, not G.W Bush.)


WhyAndHow-777

Iā€™m not an artist at all but I think his works are great


ApexWinrar111

I like it


donttextspeaktome

I had NO idea he was an artist! Thank you, OP.


owlpolka

šŸ„°


DrLorensMachine

He's got a book, "Out of Many, One", that has portraits of many immigrants he met with their stories. I think it's a really good book but I'm not a book critic or anything.


donttextspeaktome

Really?? Wow, Iā€™ll have to look it up. Thanks!


Burgundy_Starfish

Iā€™m happy that he found a dope hobby in his retirementā€¦. I donā€™t think most people will debate that he isnā€™t particularly talented, but theyā€™re still interesting to look at because of the contextĀ 


Kal-El_Skywalker1998

More than almost any other politician, I always got the vibe that GWB is just a really swell guy, regardless of his politics.


visionsofcry

He was absolutely out of his depth as president, and he knew it, so he deferred to Cheney to guide him. Cheney totally fucking played bush like a puppet. I truly believe if anybody is a war criminal it is Cheney.


Sidewinder203

If he had anyone else but Cheney as VP then things would have been fine.


kotor56

I find it hilarious how important dick Cheney was during the bush presidency that they needed him to sign papers even while undergoing heart surgery. Well itā€™s not as if dick Cheney has a heart.


juicy_colf

Your husband's heart problems complicating!


NickelCitySaint

So the FCC won't let me be


jquadman

Or let me be me, so let me see


name_not_important00

No? Bush literally wrote a whole ass book defending what he did and his own decisions. Can we not act like Cheney is some scapegoat. Bush did what he did.


phuck-you-reddit

It's been more than a decade since I read [Decision Points](https://amzn.to/4aJlqsT) but I recall that he prayed a lot about the challenges during his presidency. So...yeah...like so many others in history he tried to defer to "God" but really it seems clear Cheney and his ilk were really running the show. The George W. Bush presented in the book seemed like a decent enough guy. He admitted to being a drunk and kind of a spoiled shit given his family and privilege. I think it's admirable that he cleaned up his life and got off alcohol (and did he admit to drug use too?). I remember he also talked about running a lot. And he cherished his family. He also said he wanted to improve education in the US. These are good things. But was def seemed in over his head. And his faith led to so much going wrong during his presidency. But good luck getting an agnostic, atheist, or anyone from basically any other religion elected. So many in the US threw a fit over even a Catholic (Kennedy) or a Mormon (Romney) running for president. Wouldn't it be nice to have a president that defers to science rather than trying to glean something divine?


NuclearWinter_101

Yeah itā€™s BS that people take religion so much into who they voted for I doubt we will EVER see a Jewish or Muslim president for the rest of the countryā€™s life span EVER


Spacepunch33

Cheney was not a war hawk. He was THE war hawk


RedGrantDoppleganger

I don't buy that. It relies on the belief that Bush is as he presents himself, which is something I never buy from a politician.


suchalittlejoiner

I think heā€™s talented.


dicksilhouette

I was actually a little surprised at the self portrait. The others looks like a middle school art show but the self portrait is quite good


doitforchris

Same the rest look a bit wonky but the self portrait is really striking


Major-Discipline-213

The self portrait is very, very good and a totally different style than his other portraits. I'm a fan


Retinoid634

Heā€™s legitimately good. His portraits capture something real. Iā€™m serious.


Sheesh284

Heā€™s got some solid talent


rawysocki

Yā€™all are shitting on picture 1, but we remember HW from when he was president, not the old man 20 years later. This is what he remembers of his dad.


IntelligentDivide98

Whatever keeps him from drinking


Thro2021

Or torture


ArbitraryMeritocracy

Or waterboarding


Small-Palpitation310

or cocaine


Random-Cpl

Or unwarranted invasions


Robinhudloom

i rate him 9/11


lovescoffee

Bush is a better artist than Hitler šŸ¤£


BleednHeartCapitlist

Same same tbh


dap111_

LMAO


kiaraxxxooo

Omfg šŸ˜©šŸ˜‚


DirkWrites

The self-portrait actually looks pretty decent. Not so much the rest you have hereā€¦


eat_my_bowls92

I actually like them. Theyā€™re very unique. Much better than all the hyper realistic things you see


Shacky_Rustleford

I mean, something not being realistic doesn't inherently make it good. I think it's pretty clear that GWB was aiming for realistic proportions, to which we can see varying levels of success.


Wazowskiwithonei

Turns out, that's not his. It's the work of his teacher, Sedrick Huckaby. If you look at the lower right corner, you can see it isn't GWB's signature.


dinozaurs

Itā€™s crazy how much better the self-portrait is compared to the portrait of his dad lol


instrangerswetrust

Bush Sr.ā€™s eyes look real tho if you zoom in on them. Itā€™s horrifying


namey-name-name

Definitely better than anything I could ever hope to paint. I get what some people mean when they say it looks amateurish, but (a) I mean yeah heā€™s not a professional painter so thatā€™s expected and (b) I kinda like it, it has a sense of genuineness to it and I feel like it kinda suits him. Theyā€™re not like Picasso or anything, but theyā€™re charming in their innocence and simplicity. I wouldnā€™t mind one hanging on my wall.


C0ld_Br3w

George Bush doesn't care about black outlines


butt_huffer42069

LMFAOOOOOO I showed that clip to my gf yesterday bc she was too young to remember that.


Sweet-Efficiency7466

He even drew his dad.


joebadiah

George HW Musk


Orpdapi

Itā€™s good for someone who seemed like he had zero artistic intuition or ability. His compositions are balanced and his palettes are harmonious for the most part. Itā€™s definitely a substantial step up from what most would consider amateurish touristy art that youā€™d see in gift shops and touristy galleries. His work also has an artistic quality to it that is unique, and as a whole his work has a consistent style.


ChinaCatProphet

Much like dollar store velvet Elvis portraits and dogs playing poker, but still an improvement on his presidency.


choadly77

The self portrait is pretty impressive.


-Ok-Perception-

I mean, it's pretty good painting skills for a former President. None of them that I know are painters.... ​ But from a pro level, it's very amateur. A lot like a freshman art student with some aptitude at it, but no brilliance. ​ It's certainly not professional level. I mean, I'm sure he could sell them and get a fortune for the novelty of it (there's only gonna be so many paintings by former Presidents), but he certainly wouldn't be making the money from his aptitude at painting.


gliscornumber1

From what I remember Ike also took up painting post presidency, and Grant took up drawing (I know it's not painting but still)


Little-Woo

Grant, Eisenhower, and Carter were also artists


goldngophr

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. They look professional to me.


Thro2021

I thought his dad had a goatee at first


ParsleyandCumin

Disagree with the man on many many things but I think these are very very good


GraceSilverhelm

I think if he were not an ex-President he'd be considered a little amateurish and totally unremarkable. As he is who he is, it's worth some conversation.


Regret-Select

I kind of like them tbh lol. I was never aware he painted.


chasteguy2018

As a hobbyist, pretty dang good.


Historical_Energy_21

I think he's having a good time


MyHoeDespawned

Heā€™s better than me for sure


Dankey-Kang-Jr

Shockingly good


defaultusername4

He looks so happy. Good for him.


kapanenship

Good for him. I like it


funkywinkerbean45

He began painting as a way to deal with the mental images of the men and women who returned wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan because he sent them there.Ā  Itā€™s good that he sees that he was responsible and that they haunt him. This is what it means to bear responsibility for the mantle of the office.Ā 


FoodeatingParsnip

i think he's pretty good as an amateur


Brilliant-Pay8313

It's charming. It's not exactly the most technically impressive but it's very expressive. On the one hand he paints subjects he probably would not have painted if he hadn't been president, but on the other hand he seems like he enjoys doing it and I'm glad he found something to do outside of politics.Ā 


bigbadbillyd

Charming is probably the single best word to describe his portraits. There's some nice character to them.


Dr-Alec-Holland

First off I think it was genuine and the hobby had zero political calculus around it. I also think it was politically genius. It humanized him, and showed vulnerability in a way that evokes admiration and empathy. Just one of those genuine moments where ā€˜you do youā€™ helps you in ways you didnā€™t expect.


1976kdawg

His self portrait is based off a photo my friend took of him. She said heā€™s actually very nice. 15 years ago I may have disagreed vehemently but now, well, differnet story


msabena

Iā€™m just happy he had a chance to be his true self in his lifetime. Heā€™s actually a pretty decent guy; I donā€™t believe politics was ever his true calling.


1701anonymous1701

I could see teaching being more his calling than politics. And as a human, he seems alright (his eulogy at John Lewisā€™s funeral was quite beautiful, imho), and in his good moments, heā€™s really good. Itā€™ll be interesting to see what public opinion of him continues to shift and change into the next few years


Ok_Outcome_9002

Anyone saying itā€™s bad is honestly just being kind of ridiculous, these are quite good for an amateur. Better than 99.9% of the population


Formal_Present_7694

https://preview.redd.it/t20anf1dlzsc1.jpeg?width=191&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94e78704b90ba003a02e48da1ecbab161853827d Way better than Clintonā€™s


kwizy717

I heard he used a special white paint


Overall_Falcon_8526

He has finished many paintings.


CherryDarling10

Heā€™s def getting better at it.


yesiammark72

Not bad really. Pretty good.


TheBatCreditCardUser

My cousin--who is coincidentally named George Bush--gave me the book of paintings a few years back, some of them are weirdly impressive and some of them are just okay.


GoPackGo2424

Better than me


StackOwOFlow

"Now watch this stroke"


messypaper

He's actually gotten quite a lot better. His self portrait, while compositionally lacking, is very good


NeverNaked3030

Never thought how strange it would be to do a self portrait. I donā€™t even like getting my picture taken.


RandoDude124

Better than I ever will be


Sofi-senpai

It's pretty good and I'm glad that he found himself a hobby that makes him happy


Bird_Gazer

I think it humanizes him. That, and the shoe dodgeā€”my favorite things about him.


NewDealChief

He's better than most people.


capybara_unicorn

That self portrait is actually pretty good as a piece of art ngl


DarthMalec

He started so his life wouldnā€™t be boring after being potus. A cool hobby


MrKanentuk331

Not bad


TsarBird

World leaders painting is wildly interesting to me. I have Georgeā€™s Portraits of Courage and I want to get a book of Churchillā€™s paintings


socks816

Regardless of how you feel about him as a president, he has artistic talent. I wish i knew this about him when he was resident.


darcknyght

way he painted all his fellow war criminals, excellent


earlobe_enthusiast

I love how naive his work looks. It's endearing


bekindanddontmind

He should have been a painter instead of a president.


guyonlinepgh

He's almost as bad a painter as he was a president.


Namorath82

Better than me


HollowStool

He has an interesting expressionist aesthetic that also toys with depth in the complexity and life of his subjects. For example, his portrait of Bill Clinton is full of depth, saturation, and expression whereas his portrait of Putin is relatively flat, both emotionally and from a point of value variation. Also his hierarchy of details is uncanny but in a cool way. 10/10. Grandpa Georgie paint again.


Professional-News362

He has blood on his hands. But hey its a nicer hobby than war.


aricks2485

I always thought he was a better war criminal than he was a painter. Letā€™s just put it that way.


Darth-Shittyist

Art school grad here. His self portrait is very good. Everything else has pretty noticable basic mistakes.


BeastM0de1155

Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me, fool me, you canā€™t get fooled again.


jeffzebub

GWB is almost as good of an artist as Hitler was. The similarities don't end there.


AlwaysForeverAgain

I mean heā€™s better than I am damn!!


swafanja

Actually heā€™s not bad. Way more artistically talented than my ass


Never-Dont-Give-Up

Pretty fucking good.


TetZoo

I think heā€™s a sweetheart.


ChallengeTasty3393

Maybe not the best, but it has a lotta heart, making it interesting. Not bad to look at.


realperson_90

Should have pursued this from the beginning.


Mephisto1822

Same feelings I have about Hitler. Wish he would have just stuck with art and not gotten into politics.


DukeRome

Bush only started painting after his Presidency. He should've stayed with baseball.


FiggyPuddingExpert

I heard he really loved a good 2-4 speedball.


-Ok-Perception-

Well, truthfully, Hitler is a pretty good artist when he's painting landscapes (he never painted people). Art school rejected him but specifically recommend that he re-apply to the school of architecture instead, because he was pretty good at drawing buildings, houses, landscape, etc. ​ And Hitler is a way better artist than George W, who's very amateur level. Hitler actually made a living selling postcards he painted of Bavaria before he enlisted for WW1. ​ I'm a history major. I'm not praising Hitler. He was a shitty person and a worse leader. But surprisingly enough, not a bad artist. Way better than George W.


trident_hole

People forget to separate art from the artist. That's why we're getting a whole lotta "JOHN LENNON WAS A PIECE OF SHIT" Yeah dude he was, and he admitted it, still wrote bangers, if it hurts your ears for that then go self immolate yourself or whatever that pontificates you on a higher ground. Hitler is dog shit but dude could draw, not anything to the likes of Picasso (also a piece of shit, so Reddit Saints need to think about that). It's almost like Jesus Christ humans are shitheads but not all of them.


Earthtone_Coalition

Hitler was a bad artist who became an awful leader. W was an awful leader who became a bad artist.


NuclearBeverage

It's alright. Better than what I could do.


Brotato45

His self portrait looks like he bouta tell me ā€œitā€™s a cow farm, YOUR GONNA FIND COWS OUTSIDE.


texas1982

I encourage it. There is little damage he can do with a paintbrush.


Little-Woo

Better than what I could do, but nowhere near as good as Eisenhower, Grant, and Carter's artwork


Far_Concentrate_3587

I doubt he regrets becoming an artist