George W. Bush, the Artist

[spin0]

Gallery: http://imgur.com/a/9vsBA

Yup, he's worse than Hitler.

Okay, most would agree that his paintings are, well, terrible. And there's nothing wrong with that - learning to paint is a good hobby and good for him to have started.

And I kinda like the self-portrait in shower. In has a touch of the great American realism, and even if it technically looks like a junior high-school attempt at creating something hopperesque the painting is interesting to look at. There's an air of both comedy and tragedy present. And knowing the painter it has many levels of meaning and contrast to read into it: solitude of an ex-executive turning his back to us but still looking back at us through a rear view mirror, a naked regular guy - usually symbolizing nothing to hide - but now turned around as if hiding something, the act of washing which is a regular thing to do but now becomes more of a symbolic act...

I hope that in the future he abandons the cats and dogs and revisits the bathroom series.

 

[angrysoba]

His paintings are ****.

 

[spin0]

Well put.

Just tried to compose an OP without spelling it out so bluntly.

new topic of the thread: Artists switching over to politics and politicians switching over to art. Which have failed the world more often?

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

Does your revised topic include writers and actors in the definition of artist?

 

[commandlinegamer]

I'd rather he painted than politicked.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

To me his work looks lonely and sad.

 

[Brainster]

They're better than anything I could do. The Leno one is recognizable.

The reactions here reveal more about the posters than about Bush.

 

[Peephole]

I like his paintings.

And at least he's not murderring thousands.

 

[ddt]

I prefer seeing him torturing canvas than torturing people.

What the hell is with the painting with the two dogs, one golden and one dark brown. They seem anatomically, hmm, not quite okay.

 

[paiute]

One of the greatest bullbleep artists the world has ever known.

 

[Tiktaalik]

I like the one of the Scottie's face. It's not bad. None of them are as bad as some in the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA: http://www.museumofbadart.org/). If you want to see some Bad Dogs, go there!

Painting is not easy. I've got a couple friends who have picked it up and having anything come out recognizable appears to take loads of work & practice.

 

[spin0]

To me his work looks lonely and sad.

That's how I see them too, not solitude but loneliness.

 

[spin0]

Does your revised topic include writers and actors in the definition of artist?

Even con artists, as wide a definition of an artist as you like.

 

[Eric D]

I'm an artist and I think his paintings aren't that bad. Especially the dogs and cats he painted. I've seen a lot worse. He's not exactly talented, but he's got some degree of skill.

 

[sackett]

As someone once said after looking over the late Wm F. Buckley's art: "Poor paint."

 

[fuelair]

I like his paintings.

And at least he's not murderring thousands.

Anymore. Including American soldiers.

 

[bruto]

My respect for Bush as a politician is below zero. I see in his art a little spark of imagination, obscured by inadequate technique.

Whole huge threads could be initiated about how far below zero one places Mr. Bush and his career and why, and no doubt to the reverse position, but sticking to the issue of putting visual material on a surface, I think he should abandon painting and experiment with black and white photography.

Seriously, now. Imagine how someone like Man Ray or Lisette Model might have done the first couple of images in the link given.

 

[Wowbagger]

The one of Jay Leno isn't as terrible as the others.

 

[ravdin]

I've seen much worse paintings prominently displayed in museums.

 

[angrysoba]

They're better than anything I could do. The Leno one is recognizable.

The reactions here reveal more about the posters than about Bush.

They do? What do they reveal.

I've seen much worse paintings prominently displayed in museums.

That might be true. There's a lot of **** displayed in museums and art galleries too. And if I saw them, I would pronounce them ****.

I am not sure why we are supposed to discriminate just because George W. Bush painted them. If he hadn't been famous for other things then who would care about these **** paintings?