When You Find Out Your Coworker Was Painted by Obama's Portraitist

Earlier this week, the National Portrait Gallery unveiled former President Barack Obama's official portrait, painted by the artist Kehinde Wiley. 

A post shared by National Portrait Gallery (@nationalportraitgallery) on Feb 13, 2018 at 2:56am PST

While the painting was highly praised on social media, it turns out the former president has something in common with a current WNYC employee. 

"I remember it like it was yesterday," says WNYC's Darnell Jefferson, who, in 2005, answered an ad on Craigslist — and wound up becoming a model posing for Wiley. "I remember wearing that blue bubble coat, with that crown — I was probably 24 years old when I did that portrait with him."  

That portrait became the oil painting, "St. Dionysus."

"St. Dionysus" painted by Kehinde Wiley.

Photo provided by Darnell Jefferson.

"The funny thing is that, after maybe a couple of years, he told me he's going to be in a museum, he's going to be in an exhibit. I was like 'OK cool. No problem.' I didn't realize how big." 

To see "St. Dionysus" in person, you can visit the Milwaukee Art Museum, where it is currently on view.