George W Bush: Ex-President's Dog Doodles

The woman who taught him has described former US President George Bush as a “great artist”.

Georgia-based painter Bonnie Flood spent a month with the 43rd President and his sister-in-law Maggie, teaching them the ins and outs of mixing paints, brush strokes and capturing the world on canvas.

She told Fox 5 News that "43", as she began calling him after he started signing his paintings that way, first stuck to dogs as his main subject.

"I think he said he had painted 50 dogs," she said.

Mr Bush shared some of those pieces, of his beloved Scottish terrier Barney, when the former "First Dog" passed away in February.

But as his skills grew, Ms Flood says he moved on to more complicated landscapes that included scenes from his Crawford, Texas, ranch.

"He picked it up so quick, it just was amazing actually," Ms Flood told the Atlanta news channel.

"His whole heart is in it."

Mr Bush's private sessions with the landscape artist took place in a home in Boca Grande, Florida, stretching on for six hours a day.

"He has such a passion for painting, it's amazing," Ms Flood said. "He's going to go down in the history books as a great artist."