Bush Paintings Recall the Good Ole Days (Video)

Some of us yearn for the good old days…well, more like six or so years ago! I’m not a huge fan of everything President Bush did, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t get a kick out of the bumper sticker showing a waving President Bush with the words, “Miss me yet?” The former president is clearly enjoying his new past time, portrait painting. Far from da Vinci, he is surprisingly good in a contemporary fashion.

Fan or not, taking a look at his still fairly new (five years) hobby is pretty cool. So cool that Southern Methodist University is presenting a new exhibit of GWB’s paintings of world leaders that he met during his time in office. I found it hilarious that he started by doodling stick figures on his iPad app. He’s hooked, too. He joked with a reporter, “I expect I’ll be painting ’til I drop. And my last stroke as I’m heading into the grave. I wonder what color it will be.” Red, sir. It should definitely be red.

“The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy” are portraits that GWB says were done in the “spirit of friendship.” Behind the more than two dozen portraits of world leaders are a few surprising stories including the time Vladimir Putin asked about Bush’s Scottish Terrier Barney. “You really call that a dog?”

Portraits include Putin, the Dalai Lama, Tony Blair and his own father. While the article has some quips about his relationships with his subjects, the video is a “don’t miss.”