The British artist, dubbed “truly the worst” by U.S. President Donald Trump after he criticized a portrait she painted of him, has stated that the criticism has compromised her integrity and threatened her career. Sarah A Boardman created the official portrait for the Colorado state capitol building in Denver, where it was displayed for six years starting in 2019.
In March, Trump dismissed the portrait as “purposefully distorted” on his Truth Social platform. He contrasted it with Boardman’s portrayal of former U.S. President Barack Obama, which he considered “wonderful.” Boardman responded, arguing that her work was done accurately without any political prejudice or attempts to caricature the subject.
Boardman asserted that the allegations of distortion and loss of talent as she aged are negatively affecting her 41-year-old business. She had previously mentioned that there would be criticism of any presidential portrait, as it’s human nature. In response to Trump’s critique, officials decided to remove the portrait from the building.
Boardman’s career spans years of travel across several continents, and she transitioned to become a successful artist in 1985 after studying the techniques of the old masters in Germany. She won a national contest to paint the official portraits of Barack Obama and Donald Trump for Denver’s state capital.
Trump is notorious for protecting his image. In January 2025, prior to his inauguration, he released a portrait described by critics as serious or ominous, possibly referencing his 2023 mugshot. This was after he was charged with attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden in Georgia, a charge he denies.
Following Trump’s criticism of Boardman, Steve Witkoff confirmed that the White House received a new work from Moscow, gifted by Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov referred to it as a “personal gift,” while Witkoff described it as a “beautiful portrait” by a “leading Russian artist.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/apr/06/artist-of-truly-the-worst-donald-trump-portrait-says-her-career-is-threatened-sarah-a-boardman
