Former President George W. Bush is putting his post-White House paintbrush to work for one of his family’s most familiar Maine landmarks. More than 40 of his paintings will go on display Thursday in Biddeford, with proceeds benefiting the preservation of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Kennebunkport.
The collection includes paintings of Kennebunkport Harbor, rocky coastal scenery, local businesses and St. Ann’s itself, according to The Boston Globe. Some works were completed within the past year, and visitors will also see videos showing Bush working in his Maine studio.
The one-day exhibition will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Harold Alfond Forum on the University of New England’s Biddeford campus. Bangor Daily News reports that admission is $10 for adults, children under 11 get in free, and timed-entry tickets are being offered; the event is closed to the press.
A Benefit For A Bush Family Church
St. Ann’s has served as the Bush family’s summer church for generations, with George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush among those who worshiped at the seaside stone chapel. George W. Bush volunteered the paintings for the fundraiser, but he is not expected to attend, per The Boston Globe.
The former president began painting in 2012 after leaving office, eventually building a widely known second act as an artist. A release carried by the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Chamber describes the exhibition as a look at Bush’s creative life after public service, with themes of faith, family, freedom and community.
St. Ann’s Is Still Rebuilding After 2024 Storms
The fundraiser arrives as St. Ann’s continues a multiyear effort to repair and protect its oceanfront property. The church says powerful storms in January 2024 destroyed its seawall, flooded parts of the grounds and damaged an outdoor altar, prompting a capital campaign with a $5 million goal.
According to the church’s capital campaign page, about $2.9 million in pledges had been recorded recently, while additional seawall work remains under consideration. The planned repairs are intended to protect the chapel, rectory, columbarium and surrounding grounds from future coastal storms.
That challenge is hardly unique along the Maine coast. In 2024, Governor Janet Mills’ office estimated that back-to-back January storms caused roughly $70.3 million in public infrastructure damage across eight coastal counties, including damage to roads, buildings, seawalls and other waterfront infrastructure.
