It was only a little over a year ago that we learned of Bush’s second act painting passion. Some people hate the paintings. Some people love them. Some people don’t spend that much time thinking about them. Still others can’t consider them without remembering that, you know, he was an awful president. I, for one, consider George W. Bush’s public painting career to be endearing. He’s not the best painter in the whole wide world, but he’s not the worst. There’s some skill on display, which is more than could be said for much of his presidency. Do I want to hang them in my house and look at them everyday? Of course not. But I’ve seen worse paintings. More than that, I’ve seen worse paintings painted by actual professional painters. I’m no expert, but Bush’s Putin looks pretty not-the-worst-thing-in-the-world to me.
NBC
The Tony Blair painting on the other hand is a little splotchy, but nobody can be perfect all the time.
While we got our first glimpse Friday of some of the 24 paintings former President George W. Bush would be displaying at his presidential library in Dallas, Texas, Reuters photographer Brandon Wade has now snapped some pictures of many more.
Bush, who took up painting as a hobby after he left office, is showing off his collection at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in an exhibit titled “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy.”
Inside the exhibit, which opened on Saturday, are 24 portraits of world leaders — all of whom, Bush says, have never seen them before.
Take a look:
Visitors are first greeted with a self-portrait of Bush himself, along with one of his father and 41st President George H. W. Bush.
Then there’s one of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Bush described on the Today Show as a “person who in many ways viewed America as an enemy. I tried, of course, to dispel him of that notion.”
And another of Putin’s portrait, which is surrounded by photographs of the two world leaders together.Here’s one of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Each portrait has photographs and other memorabilia or gifts to accompany them.
This is former Australian President John Howard.
The Dalai Lama:
Another photographer caught this wall with four portraits, displaying (clockwise from top left) Latvia’s former president Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Ghana’s former president John Kufuor, France’s former president Jacques Chirac and Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Here’s former Czech President Vaclav Havel, above a signed note and gift.This portrait is of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
The portrait of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is surrounded by photos of their various meetings. Bush said his portrait conveyed a strong and “passionate” person and a “reliable friend.”Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is seen here.And German Chancellor Angela Merkel:Another wall displays four different world leaders, including (clockwise from top-left) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former French President (2007-2012) Nicolas Sarkozy and former South Korean President (2008-2013) Lee Myung-bak.Here’s former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.And Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
This wide shot shows many more paintings.And finally, it’s a portrait of former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez.
Former US President George Bush has said world leaders will be shocked by his artistic skills when they see his portraits of them.
The artworks include a stern-looking Russian President Vladimir Putin Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert features in the exhibition
The 67-year-old, who took up painting after leaving the White House five years ago, put his collection on display at the George W Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas.
One of the most striking works is a stern-faced portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which hangs alongside paintings of many other famous faces, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi and the Dalai Lama.
Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian PM, appears alongside other leaders Mr Bush also painted Afghan President Hamid Karzai
In an interview with NBC’s Today show, Mr Bush said: “I think they’re going to be (like), ‘Wow, George Bush is a painter’.
“I’m sure when they heard I was painting … they (would have said), ‘Wow, I look forward to seeing a stick figure’.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s face features in the exhibition Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was also painted
“I hope they take it in the spirit in which these (portraits) were painted in … the spirit of friendship.”
Mr Bush, who once painted himself taking a shower, is reported to have been inspired by one of British wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill’s books.
Paintings of George Bush and his father welcome visitors to the gallery A portrait of German Chancellor Angela Merkel also hangs in the library
He painted himself and his father George H W Bush for the exhibition, entitled The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy.
But he admits a portrait of his wife, Laura, “needs some work”, while his mother, Barbara, has said she will “absolutely not” pose for her son.
Matthew Dowd, who was chief strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign, on Sunday ripped Republican presidential hopefuls for lowering themselves to “kiss the ring” of billionaires like Las Vegas casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson.
During a Sunday panel segment on ABC’s This Week, host George Stephanopolous noted that many potential 2016 candidates like former Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Scott Walker, Gov. John Kasich and Gov. Chris Christie had already met with Adelson.
“I think it’s ridiculous that these candidates for president are trumping out to Las Vegas to go kiss the ring of a billionaire casino owner,” Dowd said. “And they think that’s somehow going to help them get elected president.”
“I think money matters so much less than your own capacity as a candidate,” he continued. “What is your message? What’s your vision for the country.”
“They would be much better off spending time back where they live — instead of flying to Las Vegas — and figuring out what’s their message, what’s their vision, and how are they going to covey that to the American public.”
NAIROBI, Kenya — This Wednesday, Ben Affleck testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as an expert on Africa. Yes, Ben Affleck: actor-director Ben Affleck, Argo Ben Affleck and, lest we forget, J-Lo Ben Affleck. Ben Affleck, whose tuxedo stands a decent chance of being analyzed on live television during the Oscars this Sunday. He was invited to guide American lawmakers on their policy toward the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ridiculous, right? Actually, no. Affleck has been involved in eastern Congo for years now. In 2010, he set up an organization called the Eastern Congo Initiative after making repeated visits to the region. It raises money and funnels it to local civil society organizations. Affleck’s commitment and sustained engagement means that if you’re looking for an advocate who has some clue about what’s actually going on and doesn’t need to take his lines from a teleprompter, you could do a whole lot worse.
If you’re going to be a celebrity with a cause in Africa — and sometimes it seems like the continent has been colonized by the A-Z listers — you could do worse then follow Affleck’s lead. A lot worse.
To help you separate the serious from the silly, we present GlobalPost’s Africa Celebrity Do-Gooder Scorecard.
Note: this list is not exhaustive, as it appears to be an unspoken rule that pretty much every celebrity has to say something about Africa at some point. Feel free to tweet your own suggestions using the hashtag #StarsLoveAfrica.
Ben Affleck – Congo/peace
Score: *****
Quiet commitment, strong focus
He does it quietly (the Affleck name isn’t anywhere to be found on the ECI website) and with an unusual degree of humility for a celebrity. Academics, analysts and self-declared experts may scoff at his credentials but he’s spent time on the ground and has shown commitment over time. He’s cajoled American lawmakers before speaking to Congress in 2012 and when he speaks it attracts attention to a place often ignored.
George Clooney speaking to John Kerry and John Prendergast of the Enough Project after a press conference in Juba marking the beginning of South Sudan’s vote for independence. (Tim Freccia/Enough Project/GlobalPost)
George Clooney – Sudan/peace
Score: *****
Sustained engagement, money where his mouth is
Clooney has shown long-term commitment to Sudan’s restive regions, first in Darfur, then southern Sudan, the disputed territory of Abyei and rebel-held Nuba Mountains. With his own money, he funds the Satellite Sentinel Project [http://www.satsentinel.org/] which tracks and exposes war crimes and human rights abuses along the contested border between South Sudan and Sudan. His protests against President Omar al-Bashir’s regime have seen him (and his father) arrested in Washington.
Mia Farrow takes part in a mass at the Bossangoa cathedral on November 10, 2013. (Matthieu Alexandre/AFP/Getty Images)
Mia Farrow – Darfur/peace
Score: ****
Sustained engagement, emotional investment
The actress and ex-wife of Woody Allen has invested herself in Darfur for years and visited the conflict-riddled western region of Sudan in 2004. She’s also spoken on a range of other examples of mass atrocity and manmade human suffering in Africa and elsewhere, although she’s awfully free and easy with the G-word (genocide, that is). There’s little doubting her sincerity and long-standing commitment, but it also begs the question of how effective celebrity-led advocacy is: after all the years of attention and concern the conflict in Darfur rumbles on regardless.
Oprah Winfrey poses at the inaugural graduation of the class of 2011 at Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy (Michelly Rall/Getty Images)
Oprah Winfrey – South Africa/education
Score: ***
Big investment showed money can’t buy everything
The television host and actress opened her $ 40 million Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (zero points for humility here) in South Africa in 2007. Within a year it was mired in allegations of sexual and physical abuse. After this rocky start the academy got its house in order and has been doing what it was supposed to do: give poor South African girls the opportunity for a better life.
(Danny Gohlke/DDP/Getty Images)
Bono & Geldof – Africa/ending poverty
Score: **
Aid lobby pioneers, “c###s”
The modern celebrity obsession with Africa, or at least being seen in Africa, can be traced back to Bob Geldof’s 1984 Band Aid song and 1985’s Live Aid concert. The U2 frontman and the Irish rocker have long been outspoken activists and advocates for aid to Africa roping fellow celebrities, the rich and powerful into their efforts. Neither are shy of using Africa to make a bit of cash with Bono and his wife advertising Louis Vitton luggage and Geldof setting up a private equity fund. Their brand of musical money-raising to end poverty rubs a lot of people the wrong way but undoubtedly the most invective-filled response comes courtesy of British comedy writer Jane Bussman whose stand-up show “Bono and Geldof Are C###s” sold out both the Sydney Opera House and London’s Frontline Club last year.
(Amos Gumulira/AFP/Getty Images)
Madonna – Malawi/education
Score: *
Half-baked idea, poorly executed
Oh dear. When faced with a torrent of criticism for her preferential quicky adoption of her first Malawian child, a boy called David Banda in 2006, Madonna set up a charity to build an academy in Malawi to improve the lives of those not lucky enough to be rescued by a global music star. The charity all-but collapsed in a riot of corruption allegations and name-calling. Madonna’s falling-out with Malawi seemed complete when State House called her a “bully” (and much else besides). Others, including writer Binyavanga Wainaina, then weighed in with their own scathing assessments of Madonna’s attempted do-goodery. Today the charity limps on, building primary schools and sponsoring kids in Malawi.
(Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)
Vivienne Westwood – Kenya/fashion (yes, fashion)
Score: *
Wrong-headed
The flame-haired enfant terrible of fashion, dressmaker to the ‘70s punk scene, and designer of vertiginous footware visited a Nairobi slum a few years ago and vamping it up alongside models in a shoot for her Ethical Fashion Initiative, which pays local folk in Kibera to stitch together handbags to sell to wealthy Westerners (for around $ 200). In our humble opinion, it is hard to see how any of this offers the seamstresses of Kibera much more than the opportunity to be the authentically slummy backdrop to a photo shoot.
(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Elizabeth McGovern – Sierra Leone/Christianity
Score: -
Clueless, embarrassing for all involved
Downton Abbey’s Lady Cora went to Sierra Leone last year as an ambassador for child-sponsoring evangelical Christian charity World Vision. It did not go well. She became a laughing-stock after a journalist from London’s Daily Telegraph invited along to cover her trip reported that she couldn’t tell the difference between Darfur (war-torn western region of Sudan) and Dakar (seaside capital of peaceful Senegal). Nor did she know much about the country she was visiting or the charity she was with. Amanda Taub and Kate Cronin-Furman of ‘Wronging Rights’ comprehensively shredded the whole sorry affair in this article for Warscapes.
Here’s one of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
This portrait is of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is seen here.
And German Chancellor Angela Merkel:
Another wall displays four different world leaders, including (clockwise from top-left) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former French President (2007-2012) Nicolas Sarkozy and former South Korean President (2008-2013) Lee Myung-bak.
Here’s former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
And Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
And finally, it’s a portrait of former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez.
The artworks include a stern-looking Russian President Vladimir Putin
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert features in the exhibition
Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian PM, appears alongside other leaders
Mr Bush also painted Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s face features in the exhibition
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was also painted
Paintings of George Bush and his father welcome visitors to the gallery
A portrait of German Chancellor Angela Merkel also hangs in the library
