1944
Born on March 13 in New Iberia, Louisiana, to George and Marie Rodrigue.
1959-61
Enrolls at Art Instruction School and an intensive Art Correspondence Course.
1962-64
Enters University of Southwest Louisiana in Lafayette as an art major.
1965-67
Attends Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles as a graphics arts major.
1967
Returns to New Iberia when his father dies. Enlists in Louisiana National
Guard. Marries Veronica Hidalgo.
1968-69
Art Director for an advertising agency in Lafayette, Louisiana.
1970
Exhibition of 69 Rodrigue landscapes at the Old State Building, Baton Rouge.
1975
Jolie Blonde exhibited at Le Salon des Artistes, Paris. Produces first silkscreen
(Jolie Blonde). Son André born in Lafayette.
1977
The Cajuns of George Rodrigue chosen as official US State Department gift
for visiting foreign heads of state during Carter Administration.
1981
Book, A Couple of Local Boys published by Claitor. Son Jacques born in Lafayette.
1986
Commissioned by The Republican Party to paint President Ronald Reagan.
1989
The Rodrigue Gallery of New Orleans opens in French Quarter. Paints three
Cajun Easter Eggs for annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
1992
At the Paul Prudhomme Festival in Opelousas, LA , he meets Michel Roux of
Carillon Importers, who commissions Absolute Louisiana for USA Today. Documentary
Rodrigue: A Man and his Dog filmed with Whoopi Gooldberg.
1994
The Book Blue Dog (Rodrigue, Freundlich) published by Viking Press, with a
35-city book-signing tour.
1995
Exhibition at the Pensacola Museum of Art. Commissioned by New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival to paint Louis Armstrong. The book, George Rodrigue:
A Cajun Artist (Rodrigue, Bradshaw) published by Viking Press.
1996
Exhibition at Union Station, Washington D.C. Commissioned by New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival to paint Pete Fountain. Commissioned by Neiman Marcus
to design catalogue cover for The Book (Butterflies are Free).
1997
Commissioned by the Democratic Inaugural Committee to paint President-elect
Bill Clinton and Vice-President-elect Al Gore. Marries Wendy Wolfe.
1998
Commissioned by New Orleans Jazz Club to create 50th anniversary poster. Commissioned
by Neiman Marcus to design catalogue cover for The Book (Hawaiian Blues).
Becomes sole owner of Rodrigue Studio in New Orleans and Rodrigue Studio in
Carmel.
1999
Blue Dog Man (Rodrigue, Brokaw), published. Commissioned by Neiman Marcus
to design catalogue cover for The Book (The Millennium). Sponsor three fiberglass
Rodrigue cows during the Chicago Cow Parade.
2000
Commissioned to create paintings for Xerox color inkjet printer ads. Blue
Dog Christmas (Rodrigue, McAninch) published.
2001
Paints God Bless America in response to 9/11. Book Blue Dog Love (Rodrigue,
Rodrigue) published.
2002
Children’s book, Why is Blue Dog Blue? (Rodrigue; Stewart, Tabori &
Chang) published. Received CHILD Magazine Best Children’s Book of the
Year Award. Begins Hurricane Series.
2003
Joins Advisory Board of the International Child Art Foundation. Paints Honesty
to benefit ICAF. Commissioned by the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans to
create poster for the 15th annual New Orleans International Piano Competition.
The Robert and Jolie Shelton collection of early Rodrigue painting donated
to the University Art Museum at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette
2004
Paints official Louisiana Governor’s portrait for the Inauguration of
Governor Kathleen Blanco. Retrospective exhibition at Louisiana State Exhibit
Museum in Shreveport, LA. A collection of Rodrigue paintings exhibited in
the Governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge.
2005
Unveils Bodies Series. Creates We Will Rise Again to benefit the Red Cross
in response to Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans. Rodrigue
visits Tokyo for an exhibition of new works at the Blue Dog Gallery, celebrating
ten years in Minato-ku.
2006
Develops a campaign for New Orleans levee protection, sending a print to every
member of Congress: To Stay Alive We Need Levee 5. Rodrigue presents a check
for $100,000 (raised from print sales for Katrina relief) to the New Orleans
Museum of Art at its grand re-opening. Creates the official artwork and poster
for the 20th anniversary of the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival in New
Orleans. Receives the Lifetime Achievement Arts Award from the State of Louisiana
at the Governor’s Arts Awards in Baton Rouge. Joins with the New Orleans
Saints to promote his print, We Are Marching Again benefiting the New Orleans
Museum of Art.
2007
Presents a lecture series at the Phoenix Art Museum. Group exhibition, Paws
and Reflect: Art of Canines, shown at seven museums. Retrospective exhibition,
Blue Dog: The Art of George Rodrigue, organized by the Dixon Gallery and Gardens,
Memphis, TN.,
2008
Retrospective exhibition New
Orleans Museum of Art, George Rodrigue’s Louisiana: Forty Years
of Cajuns, Blue Dogs, and Beyond Katrina. Exhibition Coral
Springs Museum of Art, Coral Springs, FL, Blue Dog. Publication of George
Rodrigue Prints (Harry N. Abrams, New York), a catalogue raisonne. Release
of 2006 vintage Amuse
Bouche Wine, Napa Valley, featuring Rodrigue label artwork. Inducted
into the ArtExpo New York 30th Anniversary Hall of Fame.