20 Mind-Blowing Facts About George W. Bush's Painting Career

Former US president George W. Bush has announced a new painting exhibition and exposed how he got into it.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Just over a year ago, a bold hacker who went under the pseudonym Guccifer, delved into George W. Bush's emails and found the former president's newest hobby—painting. The fact that Bush had taken up the extracurricular activity wasn't as much of a shock as some of his subject matter. While Dubya's paintings mostly consisted of portraits of his pets, still lifes of fruit, and landscapes, a few of his works were uncomfortable self-portraits of Bush in the shower.

Since the initial reveal, Bush as grown to take pride in his artwork. In December, he was spotted showing off his paintings to Hillary Clinton on his iPad, and in November he revealed his plans to paint all of the foreign leaders he worked with during his presidency.

Today the fruits of Bush's labor are on view at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas for an exhibition called “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy.” The TODAY Show aired a first look Bush's oeuvre yesterday. Get caught up on Bush's post-presidential pastime with 20 Mind-Blowing Facts About George W. Bush's Painting Career.

RELATED: George W. Bush Reveals His Paintings of World Leaders on the TODAY Show

He never intended to show his paintings until a hacker leaked them.

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He didn't like museums before he started painting.

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He first painted dogs, cats, and fruit before moving on to landscapes.

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He thinks the initial self-portrait he did of himself looks like Alfred E. Neuman.

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He's also painted Jay Leno (and gave Leno the painting on his show).

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He was partially inspired to take up painting by Winston Churchill.

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If you had told him 10 years ago that he'd be showing an exhibition of paintings, he wouldn't have believed you.

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He initially experimented with the drawing app Penultimate two years ago.

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Laura Bush's friend, artist Pamela Nelson, encouraged him to get painting lessons.

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He painted himself in his bathroom (in the bathtub and the shower) to shock his instructor.

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He painted his series of world leader portraits in "the spirit of friendship."

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He didn't tell any of these world leaders that he was painting them.

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But he DID tell Tony Blair, who "kind of brushed it off, so to speak."

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Vladimir Putin "dissing" his dog inspired the painting Bush made of Putin.

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Laura Bush says that the painting of her "needs work."

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He painted his father as "a gentle soul" for the forthcoming exhibition.

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He doesn't think he's a great artist.

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But he still showed off his work to Hiillary Clinton and Michelle Obama on an iPad last year.

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He also thinks there's a Rembrandt trapped inside his body.

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He expects to die painting.

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