The former president’s latest passion is celebrating the contributions of immigrants to our country (as seen in his book of portraits, “Out of Many, One”), which he hopes will help foster a more respectful attitude – and aid reform.
Springtime in central Texas doesn’t get any better than this: The bluebonnets are in bloom across the 1,600 acres of Prairie Chapel Ranch, south of Dallas – a retreat for former President and first lady George W. and Laura Bush, where they once entertained world leaders. “Well, this is just about heaven out here,” said “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell. “Yeah, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Mr. Bush said. “You know, we got unbelievably interesting views and beautiful trees. Some of these have been out here 200 years.” And though Mr. Bush has stepped back from the world stage, his trademark strut and salty humor are as strong as ever. “It’s like these interviews I used to do and they’d call in from New York: ‘Ask the son-of-a-b**** about when he stopped – ‘” “Darling, they’re taping you,” Laura helpfully interjected. The former president gave O’Donnell a tour of his tree farm (“Yeah, baby. We’re sellin’ trees!”), and while Mr. Bush did take out one of our GoPro cameras attached to our vehicle, he has a valid excuse: “I have not driven a car on a road since 1993 – before you were born!” The occasion for our visit to “Studio 43” is the release of a new book of Mr. Bush’s oil paintings: “Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants” (Crown). His subjects range from the famous, to the not-so-famous. They are all equally celebrated by this 74-year-old commander in chief-turned-artist. O’Donnell asked Laura Bush, “When your husband started painting, what did you think?” “I was shocked,” she replied. “He hadn’t even ever looked at art. I mean, we lived with a major American collection at the White House.” “And he expressed no interest then?” “No, he was not at all interested.” When asked what led him to painting, Mr. Bush replied, “You know, in retrospect, it was longing for learning. The presidency is a great learning experience. And then all of a sudden you’re not president. And by chance I read Winston Churchill’s essay, ‘Painting as a Pastime.’ And it got me thinking about painting. And in essence, I said, ‘If that old boy can paint, I can paint.’ And so I started.” The paintings themselves are much more than art: they are a timely message to Washington.
