# President-Created Portraits These George W. Bush Paintings Portray World Leaders By Jamie Danielle Munro | Published 2014-04-08 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/george-w-bush-paintings References: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/art/george-w-bush-exhibit-painted-portraits-04-07-2014/) & [bushcenter.org](http://www.bushcenter.org/) These George W. Bush paintings, titled The Art of Leadership, portray world leaders from across the globe. Putin, Stephen Harper and even himself are just a few of those presented on canvas by the past president of the United States. While a few have scoffed at the former president's attempt to jump into the world of art, his message for the portraits should not be overlooked. The following is a general overview of where Bush had the idea to create these portraits, and why he's put in the time and effort to paint these world leaders: "I place a high priority on personal diplomacy. Getting to know a fellow world leader’s personality, character, and concerns made it easier to find common ground and deal with contentious issues. That was a lesson i had picked up from dad, who was one of the great practitioners of personal diplomacy," as stated on DesignBoom. Photo Credits: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/art/george-w-bush-exhibit-painted-portraits-04-07-2014/), [bushcenter.org](http://www.bushcenter.org/) ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 26% | Activity: 62% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Political](https://www.trendhunter.com/political) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Personal Diplomacy Through Art:** Former political leaders may use art as a means of promoting personal diplomacy. - **Celebrity Art as Political Commentary:** Celebrities may use their artistic endeavors as a means of expressing political views. - **Art as a Political Legacy:** Former political figures may use art as a means of building a political legacy while expressing personal viewpoints. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fine Art:** Fine art may be leveraged by celebrities, politicians, and other high-profile individuals as a means of making political statements. - **Political Commentary:** Art as political commentary offers business opportunities for artists and galleries looking to engage with current events and public discourse. - **Personal Diplomacy:** Fine art may be used by businesses and non-profits as a means of promoting dialogue, common ground, and understanding between individuals and groups with diverse perspectives. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Travel-Inspired Canvas Paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-passport-series.md) - [Custom Pet Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portrait-mom.md) - [Immigration System-Inspired Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/passport-series.md) - [Pop Art-Style Blocked Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-in-red.md) - [Painterly Dining Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/7-paintings-the-art-of-dining.md) - [Pet-Friendly Presidential Stays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/presidents-day-packages.md) - [Stylized Portrait Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/face-to-all.md) - [Human Duality-Themed Abstract Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/passive-aggression.md) - [Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contemporary-urban-art.md)