Something I've recently noticed is that a large number of people known for something else in the public eye have recently put out paintings.

Even more surprising: in at least three notable instances, the paintings were deliberate plagiarism.

In 2011, Bob Dylan released a series of paintings supposedly based on his travels. It was later discovered that these "original" works were copied from famous historical photos:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/questions-raised-about-dylan-show-at-gagosian/

In 2013, short-fused Floridian George Zimmerman released a painting that was blatantly copied from an AP photo:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/24/ap-george-zimmerman-painting-cease-desist_n_4661052.html

And this year, just recently, former president George W. Bush released paintings of world leaders that were found to closely resemble Google search results:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/09/george-bushs-paintings-bear-uncanny-resemblance-to-google-images

So what gives with this trend lately? First of all, why are people who aren't known to be painters suddenly releasing paintings? Is that just the in "thing?" Are they hoping that some collector with more money than sense will buy a painting from a famous/infamous person just because of who they are?

And is there some workshop somewhere that paints things for famous people to put their names on, that all these paintings have come out of? In this age of outsourcing, it wouldn't surprise me. If you can get a ghost-writer to write your biography, a speech-writer to write your speeches, and stylists to make sure your hair is perfect for your next scandal, then it would make sense if there was some business advertising in something like the Dupont Registry for original paintings by anonymous artists with your name signed on them, so that you can impress the media and your fans.

Dishonest? Sure, but this is the age of dishonesty. All the singers lip sync, all the heroes have someone else do their work for them, and all the leaders are mouthpieces for committees. Nothing is what it seems.