George Rodrigue, a Cajun artist born in Louisiana, is most well known for his Blue Dog paintings. His depictions of the anthropomorphic blue dog have become an iconic image of pop culture. However, Rodrigue’s work extends beyond just the Blue Dog, chronicling the history and culture of Louisiana.

Rodrigue was born into a family of artists and grew up surrounded by creativity. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and later studied at the Art Center College of Design in California. Rodrigue’s early career focused on commercial art, working on projects for companies like Coca-Cola and Cadillac.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that Rodrigue began painting the Blue Dog. This series of works was inspired by his childhood pet, a Weimaraner named Tiffany. The Blue Dog became instantly popular and made Rodrigue famous. He continued to create Blue Dog art throughout his career but also worked on other projects.

Rodrigue was passionate about preserving the Cajun culture of Louisiana. He was a founding member of the Louisiana Airlift organization, which aimed to promote cultural exchange. In 2005, Rodrigue opened the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts to support arts education in Louisiana.

Sadly, Rodrigue passed away in 2013 but his legacy continues. The Blue Dog remains an important symbol in Louisiana and Rodrigue’s work is still celebrated around the world. Rodrigue once said, “I want my paintings to be able to communicate with and touch people from all walks of life in every corner of the world.” It’s safe to say that he achieved his goal.