1944-2013. Born and raised in southwest Louisiana, “Cajun Country,” George Rodrigue preserved on his canvas what he feared was his dying heritage — including its land, people, traditions and mythology. It was a Cajun legend, the loup-garou, that spawned his most famous series,
BLUE: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue is airing on public TV stations, presented by WLAE New Orleans and distributed by American Public Television. Stream exclusively with the PBS Passport app by becoming a member of your local PBS affiliate.
“I grew up feeling a strong relationship to the old things, to the old culture, and I got a stronger feeling when I went to Los Angeles to school. I really started to understand how different I was and how different my Louisiana was.”
She Brought Me Sunshine, designed in 1998 by George Rodrigue, is a newly released print in 2025. This Estate Edition of 150 measures 21 x 28 inches and is available for purchase from Rodrigue Studios or online. This newly available estate stamped print is based on a painting George Rodrigue […]
I’ve always approached painting knowing that my job is not to make an accurate representation of a subject–
IT’S GOT TO TRANSCEND THAT.
Rodrigue Estate Print Release Celebrates Nationwide Streaming of “BLUE: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue” on PBS Passport App!
The silkscreen is based on a work that features the bust of a Blue Dog silkscreened onto chrome paper with hand-painted embellishments, including flowers and a yellow background. It’s the result of extensive artistic experimentation. To create mixed media works on chrome paper, Rodrigue had to find a paper that could absorb both silkscreen ink and acrylic paint. He eventually found materials that allowed him to execute his vision so thoroughly that he could use the chrome paper as he might a painting’s canvas, saturating the surface with vibrant, colorful designs.
I’m a Movie Star
2010/2025
Silkscreen on chrome paper (sold unframed)
21 x 26 inches
Edition of 225
Available at Rodrigue Studios and online here: https://bit.ly/imamoviestar and at link in bio ⬆️
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Rodrigue Studios!
(pictured, Eat, Drink, and Forget the Blues (Alternate title: Aioli Dinner Dog), 1971/1992, Oil heavily embellished direct image transfer on wood masonite, 30x40 inches, private collection)
Blue Dog 2026 Wall Calendars are In Stock!
George Rodrigue’s Blue Dog is one of the most recognizable images in the world of contemporary art. The Blue Dog 2026 Wall Calendar features twelve images that will appeal to both longtime and new fans and collectors.
Steeped in the legends and Cajun myths of Rodrigue’s Louisiana upbringing, Blue Dog catapulted to worldwide fame in the early 1980s, and has never looked back. Enjoy twelve months of the adorable Blue Dog with this charming 2026 wall calendar.
Available at local booksellers and on Amazon linked in bio ⬆️
Discover “Untitled Landscape, 0918,” a striking piece by George Rodrigue from 2009 (private collection). This 15 x 45-inch acrylic on canvas is our featured Catalogue Raisonné work of the week.
If you own a unique George Rodrigue artwork, the Rodrigue family invites you to share details for inclusion in the comprehensive catalogue raisonné documenting his life’s work.
For submission guidelines and more information, visit https://georgerodrigue.com/catalogue-raisonne/ or reach out at [email protected]
#ThrowbackThursday – George Rodrigue’s masterful response to his early critics.
In 1971, facing skepticism about his technical ability amid his rising Cajun landscape series, Rodrigue painted this striking self-portrait in oil. He refused to sell it. Instead, he placed it prominently in the corner of his Jefferson Street gallery in Lafayette, Louisiana, quietly pointing to it whenever doubters questioned whether the “oak tree painter” could truly paint the human figure.
Years later, during the 2007 retrospective at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the same canvas hung among his early landscapes. Rodrigue overheard visitors remark in genuine surprise: “Man, he really can paint.”
Self-Portrait
George Rodrigue
1971, oil on canvas, 24 × 30 inches
Private Collection
#GeorgeRodrigue #BlueDog #LouisianaArtist #CajunArt #NewOrleansArt #ArtHistory #TBThursday #Realism #SouthernArt
In his book, Blue Dog Christmas, George Rodrigue draws a meaningful connection between the Blue Dog and the Christmas holiday. He explains how many of his early Christmas memories include his childhood dogs Lady and Trixie. He says that when he thinks of Christmas, dogs come to mind first, before the more traditional symbols of the holiday like trees, candy canes, snowmen, or Santa Claus. Throughout the book, Rodrigue points out the magic Christmas holds for children, and towards the end of the book, he writes, “we need something, like the blue dog, to come along and coax the little kid inside of us out of hiding.” For Rodrigue, the Blue Dog, like Christmas, offered a way to reconnect with a younger self.
Blue Dog Christmas included several holiday-themed images that Rodrigue also created as silkscreen prints. Now, 25 years after the initial release of the book and holiday prints, Rodrigue Studio is pleased to offer Santa’s Helper for purchase once again. The print depicts the Blue Dog dressed in little red boots, a red poncho, and a Santa’s hat, set against a festive background. The print is a reminder of the magic of childhood, Christmas, and the Blue Dog.
Santa’s Helper
2000
Silkscreen on paper
20 x 16 inches
Signed: Hand signed
Edition of 150
Available at Rodrigue Studios. Contact us to learn more at [email protected]
In art school during the 1960s, George Rodrigue worked diligently to acquire the skill set required to render the human figure in art. He notably spent a winter break at his California art school instead of returning home to Louisiana to focus on improving his figure drawing. That extra time paid off; throughout his career, Rodrigue included classical nude figures in his work.
Sitting Alone is one such example from earlier in Rodrigue’s career when he mainly painted portraits and landscapes.
This painting features the dark oak tree that Rodrigue would become known for. The darkness of the landscape is balanced by the figure, the white cloth draped over the chair she sits on, and the blue and white light in the distance behind the oak tree.
Sitting Alone
1980
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Newly available and on display at Rodrigue Studios New Orleans. Contact us to learn more at [email protected]
A few years after painting his first Blue Dog, George Rodrigue began experimenting with the possibility of depicting the dog in sculptural form. This sculpture is the result of some of those early artistic explorations. In the early 1990s, Rodrigue created Blue Dog sculptures from blocks of wood, in this case, mahogany.
These works are referred to as cutouts because the shape of the dog would be cut out of the wood and then painted with oil. Rodrigue painted one side of the sculpture blue and the other side red to reflect both sides of the Blue Dog. This sculpture features a pole and stand display, which makes each side of the sculpture visible. In addition to being a beautifully crafted work of art, this sculpture serves as a record of Rodrigue’s artistic progression.
Untitled Blue Dog Sculpture
c. 1990
Oil on mahogany
21 x 13 inches
Available and on display at Rodrigue Studios New Orleans. Contact us to learn more at [email protected]
