George W. Bush: painter. Painter of dogs and landscapes. And dogs in landscapes. …
If dogs run free, then why not we
Across the swooping plain?
My ears hear a symphony
Of two mules, trains and rain
The best is always yet to come
That’s what they explain to me
Just do your thing, you’ll be king
If dogs run free
If dogs run free, why not me
Across the swamp of time?
My mind weaves a symphony
And tapestry of rhyme… ( Dylan, If Dogs Run Free )
—“Two Acrobats with a dog” by Pablo Picasso, 1905
Gouache, 105.5cm x 75cm
Museum of Modern Art, New York
About the Art
Our inspiration this month is from Picasso’s his Rose Period. The Rose Period signifies the time when the style of Pablo Picasso’s painting used cheerful orange and pink colours in contrast to the cool, somber tones of the previous Blue Period.—Read More:http://artbeadscene.blogspot.ca/2012/07/july-monthly-challenge_03.html
(see link at end)…Being a retired Leader of the Free World is a lot like being a retired anything else, at least for George W. Bush, who spends his days painting portraits of dogs. Okay, that’s not all Bush does with his time off: according to New York’s Joe Hagan, he also paints Texas landscapes, plays golf, and eats at restaurants like so many grandparents. But the dog painting is remarkable given his personality. “I find it stunning that he has the patience to sit and take instruction and paint,” a former aide tells Hagan, in a story examining the Bush legacy and whether brother Jeb can overcome it. Read More:http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/10/george-w-bush-whiles-away-time-painting-pictures-dogs/57943/
—Bush spoke of his passion for creating canines with the stroke of his brush, telling a crowd at a fundraiser over the summer he’s “kinda stuck” painting pups. The Daily Beast wrote that Bush joked, “I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.”—Read More:http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/261995-george-w-bush-paints-dog-portraits image:http://themonkeycage.org/blog/2012/10/15/george-w-bush-takes-up-painting/
At least he’s not painting shoes. And, as one would expect, Bush is sticking to classic figurative art and not abstract or even Picasso-esque representations, tenuously figurative in an extreme sense. It’s easy to bash and trash the ex-President, but he did get elected twice, and for a man who has been labeled as somewhat agoraphobic, he was, if you look at the old videos of campaign stumping, capable of surprisingly captivating public engagement with the electorate.
—a painting by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin from around 1730. Its title is Game Still-Life with Hunting Dog.—Read More:http://www.logoi.com/pastimages/dogs.html
Hard to even hazard a guess as to what period George W. is in: The rose period, the blue period; maybe a kind of muddy glass sepia monochrome period, a bit of discovery of the invisible republic. Of even greater importance is whether he uses oils and acrylics, whether he actually cleans up and washes his brushes himself, what size canvases he is working on, whether his supplies are American made and who is helping him with some instruction…Evidently, much safer and peaceful to paint with George Bush than go hunting with Dick Cheney….
—This delightful study demonstrates all the animation and keen observation of anatomy that was so particular to George Stubbs’ oeuvre. While only a working sketch, it shows similarities in part to the lurcher depicted in Hound hunting a stag ,1769 (private collection, United States), although here the demise of the animal is not inevitable – the hare may very well escape. Rather, it is a study of movement, the determined darting action of the hare suggesting it may avoid the lurcher’s grasp.—Read More:http://ww
cklandartgallery.com/the-collection/browse-artwork/11114/untitled-(hound-chasing-a-hare)
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