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Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger lifted the curtain on his official portrait on Monday, revealing a photograph-like giant image of the onetime bodybuilder standing in front of the official California seal.

Schwarzenegger revealed the portrait at a ceremony in the state Capitol in which he made a rare appearance in Sacramento nearly four years after he left office.

The portrait, which will eventually hang on the third floor, was done by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein, a realist who previously illustrated Andy Warhol and John F. Kennedy.

Schwarzenegger, a movie star before he ran for governor in the chaotic recall election of 2005, said he owes all his successes in life to California, which he called a mythical place "where nothing is impossible." As a boy growing up in Austria, he dreamed about the state, he said.

"I dreamt about California every day, and I knew that one day I would have to come here to this beautiful state if I wanted to make my dreams a reality," he said.

Schwarzenegger said that while he always dreamed big, he never envisioned his portrait hanging in the state Capitol, joking "I might have envisioned a sculpture on Muscle Beach."

Two of Schwarzenegger's five children attended the unveiling, Christopher, 16, and Patrick, 20, which also included political notables including at least three former speakers of the state Assembly, Willie Brown, Bob Hertzberg and Fabian Nunez.

It followed an event earlier Monday in which Schwarzenegger's University of Southern California-based institute hosted a climate symposium that also featured Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat.

The seminar, titled "Lessons from California," highlighted the state's aggressive efforts to tackle issues such as reducing carbon emissions.

"While the politicians in Washington can't get anything done because of being stuck in these ideological foxholes, we here in California have two governors from two different parties, together in the same room fighting for the same green energy future," Schwarzenegger said at the summit.

Organizers are using the state's policies to prompt further action ahead of United Nations climate-change conferences in Peru and Paris.

During his tenure, Schwarzenegger signed California's landmark 2006 global-warming law, called AB32, which paved the way for the state's cap-and-trade system for controlling greenhouse-gas emissions by the worst polluters.

Monday's gathering featured research experts, businesses executives from Apple Inc. and UPS Inc., as well as actor-activist Ed Begley Jr.

Schwarzenegger said that California leaders of all political stripes have chosen to address climate change because not doing so will cost much more in the long run in things such as state infrastructure at risk of failure because of flooding, increased heat- and pollution-related deaths, and a never-ending wildfire season that stretches state budgets.

As governor, Schwarzenegger had promised to bring fiscal accountability, but the state faced a huge budget deficit when he left office. Brown has been credited with passing a tax increase, cutting services and bringing the budget back in balance.

In one of his final acts in office, Schwarzenegger commuted the involuntary-manslaughter sentence of the son of Nunez, a former political ally.

Months after Schwarzenegger left office, embarrassing revelations emerged about an affair he had with his maid that resulted in a son born out of wedlock. The disclosure devastated his marriage to Maria Shriver, and the two are separated.

Since then, Schwarzenegger has largely committed to a Hollywood comeback. He appeared in this summer's "The Expendables 3," and he returns to his cyborg assassin character in a new "Terminator" film due out next year.

Schwarzenegger previously told The Associated Press that he has no plans to run for elected office again. "I never wanted to be a career politician," he said.

AP TELEVISION

Sacramento, California - 8 September 2014

1. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Arnold Schwarzenegger / Former California Governor

"And I knew that one day I would have to come to this beautiful state if I want to make my dreams become a reality. But not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that one day that I would be governor or that one day that there would be a portrait hanging here in the state Capitol."

2. Close: Arnold's face on portrait

3. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Arnold Schwarzenegger / Former California Governor

"My seven years as governor were the most fulfilling years that I'd ever have in my life. I did not accomplish everything I had on my to-do list, but I don't think any governor ever does. But I'm very proud of the things that we did get done - from investing in our infrastructure to reforming our political system to protecting the environment."

4. White Flash

5. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Gov. Jerry Brown / (D) California

"When my father saw my portrait, he was angry. He said, 'You'll never be elected to another office again.' Well, it did take me 28 years to get back."

WIRE STORY:

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger lifted the curtain on his official portrait on Monday, revealing a photograph-like giant image of the onetime bodybuilder standing in front of the official California seal.

Schwarzenegger revealed the portrait at a ceremony in the state Capitol in which he made a rare appearance in Sacramento nearly four years after he left office.

The portrait, which will eventually hang on the third floor, was done by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein, a realist who previously illustrated Andy Warhol and John F. Kennedy.

Schwarzenegger, a movie star before he ran for governor in the chaotic recall election of 2005, said he owes all his successes in life to California, which he called a mythical place "where nothing is impossible." As a boy growing up in Austria, he dreamed about the state, he said.

"I dreamt about California every day, and I knew that one day I would have to come here to this beautiful state if I wanted to make my dreams a reality," he said.

Schwarzenegger said that while he always dreamed big, he never envisioned his portrait hanging in the state Capitol, joking "I might have envisioned a sculpture on Muscle Beach."

Two of Schwarzenegger's five children attended the unveiling, Christopher, 16, and Patrick, 20, which also included political notables including at least three former speakers of the state Assembly, Willie Brown, Bob Hertzberg and Fabian Nunez.

It followed an event earlier Monday in which Schwarzenegger's University of Southern California-based institute hosted a climate symposium that also featured Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat.

The seminar, titled "Lessons from California," highlighted the state's aggressive efforts to tackle issues such as reducing carbon emissions.

"While the politicians in Washington can't get anything done because of being stuck in these ideological foxholes, we here in California have two governors from two different parties, together in the same room fighting for the same green energy future," Schwarzenegger said at the summit.

Organizers are using the state's policies to prompt further action ahead of United Nations climate-change conferences in Peru and Paris.

During his tenure, Schwarzenegger signed California's landmark 2006 global-warming law, called AB32, which paved the way for the state's cap-and-trade system for controlling greenhouse-gas emissions by the worst polluters.

Monday's gathering featured research experts, businesses executives from Apple Inc. and UPS Inc., as well as actor-activist Ed Begley Jr.

Schwarzenegger said that California leaders of all political stripes have chosen to address climate change because not doing so will cost much more in the long run in things such as state infrastructure at risk of failure because of flooding, increased heat- and pollution-related deaths, and a never-ending wildfire season that stretches state budgets.

As governor, Schwarzenegger had promised to bring fiscal accountability, but the state faced a huge budget deficit when he left office. Brown has been credited with passing a tax increase, cutting services and bringing the budget back in balance.

In one of his final acts in office, Schwarzenegger commuted the involuntary-manslaughter sentence of the son of Nunez, a former political ally.

Months after Schwarzenegger left office, embarrassing revelations emerged about an affair he had with his maid that resulted in a son born out of wedlock. The disclosure devastated his marriage to Maria Shriver, and the two are separated.

Since then, Schwarzenegger has largely committed to a Hollywood comeback. He appeared in this summer's "The Expendables 3," and he returns to his cyborg assassin character in a new "Terminator" film due out next year.

Schwarzenegger previously told The Associated Press that he has no plans to run for elected office again. "I never wanted to be a career politician," he said.

AP TELEVISION

Sacramento, California - 8 September 2014

1. Wide: Schwarzenegger pulls curtain off portrait

2. Close: Arnold's face on portrait

3. Medium: Schwarzenegger poses with sons next to portrait

4. Wide: Spectators watch from balcony

5. Wide: Schwarzenegger takes the stage in Capitol

6. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Arnold Schwarzenegger / Former California Governor

"And I knew that one day I would have to come to this beautiful state if I want to make my dreams become a reality. But not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that one day that I would be governor or that one day that there would be a portrait hanging here in the state Capitol."

7. Medium: Schwarzenegger poses with sons, young girls

8. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Arnold Schwarzenegger / Former California Governor

"My seven years as governor were the most fulfilling years that I'd ever have in my life. I did not accomplish everything I had on my to-do list, but I don't think any governor ever does. But I'm very proud of the things that we did get done - from investing in our infrastructure to reforming our political system to protecting the environment."

9. Medium: Schwarzenegger poses with supporter

10. Medium: Spectators shoot photos from balcony

11. Medium: Schwarzenegger greets Gov. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom

12. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Gov. Jerry Brown / (D) California

"When my father saw my portrait, he was angry. He said, 'You'll never be elected to another office again.' Well, it did take me 28 years to get back."

11. Wide: Woman poses next to Schwarzenegger portrait