Living on the coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, regrettably one
becomes familiar with hurricanes and the feelings of uncontrolled anxiety
that accompany the fury. In the post-Katrina days, these paintings conjure
up memories of the shock and dismay felt by everyone across the country as
they watched the tragedy unfold on national television. While these images
are extremely well timed, they actually preceded the now infamous Hurricane
Katrina.
In 2002, in reaction to an “up-close and personal” encounter with
two hurricanes, Rodrigue broke away from his representational painting and
reverted to his study of abstraction. He was in New Iberia for the hurricanes
Isidore and Lili, and watched as a 100 year-old live oak tree – the
kind he had painted for years – fell in his front yard. The destruction
and devastation he witnessed inspired this series of paintings. To Rodrigue,
these paintings are hurricanes – representing the emotional reaction
of the artist onto canvas. Looking closely, a pair of eyes, or a hint of an
oak tree is caught in the colorful swirling movement.