The artist behind the portrait of Donald Trump, which was removed from the Colorado State Capitol after the president labeled it “truly the worst,” says his criticism is jeopardizing her 40-year art career.
In a statement on her personal website, portraitist Sarah A. Boardman expressed that Trump’s accusation of “purposefully distorting” his image was “directly and negatively impacting my business,” adding that her career might not recover from the blow.
Boardman’s painting had been displayed alongside portraits of other U.S. presidents at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver for nearly six years before Trump criticized the artwork on social media last month. Following his comments, Republicans, including Colorado Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, called for its removal, arguing it should be replaced with a “contemporary likeness” of Trump, the Associated Press reported.
On Truth Social, Trump had posted: “Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado, in the state Capitol… was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before.”
He also compared Boardman’s portrait of former president Barack Obama, which hung nearby, to his own, writing that Obama’s “looked wonderful,” while his “is truly the worst.” Trump further insulted the artist, saying, “She must have lost her talent as she got older.”
Boardman strongly disagreed with the allegations, insisting she had painted Trump “accurately, without ‘purposeful distortion,’ political bias, or any attempt to caricature the subject.” She also noted that the work had received “overwhelmingly positive reviews” since its unveiling in 2019.
The artist, based in Colorado Springs, accused Trump of questioning her “intentions, integrity, and abilities.” She has previously painted portraits of Republican president George W. Bush, a district court judge, and many U.S. military personnel.
While Boardman did not elaborate on how her career had been affected by the controversy, she stated she “will not be commenting further” on the issue.
The portrait was commissioned by Colorado Republicans, who raised over $10,000 for the project through a GoFundMe campaign.
In 2019, Boardman had defended her work against previous criticism, particularly regarding Trump’s expression in the painting, which she described as “serious, non-confrontational (and) thoughtful.” She explained that her artistic choices were meant to remain neutral and allow the criticisms to stand on their own over time. “The portrait is not designed for just one faction of the population,” she explained at the time.
