On Saturday, August 22, The Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, celebrated their sixth birthday in Presidential style. A new 13 by 20 foot painting by the famous portrait artist, Rossin, featuring full length portraits of all the 20th century presidents, was unveiled. This masterpiece, entitled “ A Meeting in Time,” pleased the crowd with a few onlookers even tearful as they studied this magnificent work.
Seth Hopkins, Director of the Booth Western Art Museum, introduced Rossin, who took the opportunity to speak a bit about his interest in art which began at the age of six in his native Bulgaria. Rossin assisted several famous portrait artists in their studios when he was just nine years old and it was at this point that he knew he wanted to become a portrait artist.
The painting, completed in 2004, took four years to complete. A tremendous amount of research was needed to learn about each of the 18 presidents, from McKinley to Clinton. All but four of the men were actually painted from photographs; Rossin used models for the others’ bodies as each man’s position was well thought out before the painting was executed. For example, President Gerald Ford, a noted football star from his college days, is posed with folded arms and stiff shoulders and President Roosevelt is tight-fisted and seated, although seemingly ready to jump out of his chair and move on to his next task. President Kennedy is standing with his hand half-way in his suitcoat pocket…a rare, almost abnormal pose for anyone, but knowing that Kennedy suffered from severe back pain, this pose makes good sense.
Rossin met with President George Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush in 2003 when his portrait of both President Bushes was unveiled at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. When they graciously agreed to review the sketch of the presidential painting, President Bush advised Rossin to change FDR, who he had in a wheelchair, to being seated in a bench. President Bush explained that “out of the literally thousands of pictures of FDR, in only a handful was he in a wheelchair. “ Obviously, FDR, preferred to not bring attention to the effects of polio that he contracted while on a Boy Scout trip. Barbara Bush suggested that President Nixon’s suit coat to be buttoned. “In all the times I met him,” said Mrs. Bush, “he never had his jacket unbuttoned.”
Rossin further explained his presidential painting as one not just of the 18 gentlemen, but also a depiction of the institution of presidency itself. He states that it is equally important to see what is NOT in the group….no dictators, no kings and no tyrants. When each four year term was over, all of the presidents left with neither resistance nor military force from their successors. Isn’t it wonderful to hear the perspective from Rossin, an outsider, who was born and raised in a communist country and admires the US presidency?
You are a wonderful artist! I was amazed w/your work for Sharee on ATL Houswives. My mother recently passed… if I could afford it I would love to have a portrait done.