See a collection of President George W. Bush’s paintings at Truman Library this fall
.jpg "Paintings by former president George W. Bush")
Former President George W. Bush’s paintings will be on display soon at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence.
“Portraits of Courage,” a large collection of oil paintings and stories by the former president, opens Oct. 13 and runs until Dec. 31. The library described the exhibit as Bush’s tribute to honor the sacrifice and courage of United States veterans.
Alex Burden, executive director of the Truman Library Institute, has been pulling the arrangements together for the last four years, but held off on displaying the artwork since the library wasn’t fully open due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“I hope the community will come out and see it,” Burden said. “It’s going to be a fantastic exhibit.”
WHAT’S IN THE EXHIBIT?
The gallery features 66 full-color portraits and a four-panel mural painted by the president. The artwork shows members of the United States military who served the country since 9/11 and who Bush knows personally.
It started out of Bush’s outreach and the ongoing work of the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative that aims to help veterans transition back to civilian life after serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other wars after 2001, when Bush was in office.
It’s also the first traveling exhibit the renovated library will host and is the first time that “Portraits of Courage” is on display since COVID-19 hit. It was last hosted in Houston in April 2020.
“I painted these men and women as a way to honor their service to their country and to show my respect for their sacrifice and courage,” Bush said in a statement.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The exhibit is included with general admission tickets, which cost:
$12 for adults
$10 for seniors ages 62 and up
$8 for college students with a valid ID
$5 for teens ages 13-18
Free for kids 12 and under
Burden said veterans and active military members will be able to visit the Bush exhibit and library for free while the exhibit is active. You’ll have to provide proof of military service for complimentary admission.
Admission is also free for members. A basic membership costs $35.
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 1:41 PM.
