Portraits of Courage

For relaxation and unwinding, the 43rd President of the United States was largely known for clearing brush from his Central Texas ranch, not for picking up a (paint) brush. After leaving office, Bush took up oil painting. In these portraits of wounded U.S. veterans of the Afghan and Persian Gulf wars, he portrays the light, shadow, and perspective in each veteran's face, and details their service, often describing his personal relationship with the person. The portraits reveal Bush's artistic growth plus his identification with and gratitude for the veterans' sacrifice in a stunningly intimate and unguarded fashion.