DENVER — President Donald Trump has been in office for more than a year and a half. There is still no presidential portrait of Trump at the Colorado state Capitol.
While it took more than three years for President Barack Obama’s portrait to appear inside the third floor’s Gallery of Presidents, there have been zero donations to help commission a portrait so far of Trump.
Jay Seller, president of the Colorado Citizens for Culture, confirmed the lack of donations Wednesday.
The Capitol’s Gallery of Presidents features portraits commissioned through private donations and not taxpayer dollars.
Seller said Obama’s portrait was fully fundraised within the first year of his presidency.
“It makes me feel sad,” said Steve Barlock, a former candidate for governor and supporter of Trump in Colorado.
“I think the word should be put out easily. It shouldn’t be hard. This should be a bipartisan effort to take care of the tradition of our state Capitol.”
Barlock is putting blame on the Colorado Citizens for Culture, a group that is collecting the donations.
Barlock said a small white sign on the third floor of the Capitol is hardly a fundraising effort — especially since no website or GoFundMe page is listed.
“They want us to write a check?” Barlock said mockingly.
Pam Foster, who is part of the Arts for Colorado, acknowledged her disappointment with the fundraising effort so far, hoping for a better campaign to raise money in the future.
Inside the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday, tourists didn’t seem to mind the lack of a painting.
“When he starts acting like a president we can start treating him like one,” tourist Riley Kavanaugh said.
Checks can be sent to:
Jay Seller, President
Colorado Citizens For Culture
2001 Lincoln Street Suite 1611
Denver CO 80202
Checks should be made out to Colorado Citizens for Culture — with Presidential Portrait on the memo line.
UPDATE: Following our stories Pranksters decided to put up another portrait of a world leader in the Gallery