Wendy Rodrigue, widow of artist George Rodrigue, will read excerpts and sign copies of her book, ӰרThe Other Side of the Painting,Ӱר during an event at the Hilliard Ӱר Art Museum at the Ӱר.
Her talk is free and open to the public. It will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 15.
ӰרThe Other Side of the Painting,Ӱר published by UL Press in 2013, focuses on George RodrigueӰרs life and work. The artist, who is best known for his ӰרBlue DogӰר paintings, died in 2013 at age 69.
ӰרThe book is a project George encouraged from the beginning, and itӰרs full of his quotes and our stories, including the history behind many of his best-known Cajun and Blue Dog paintings,Ӱר Wendy Rodrigue said.
ӰרThe Other Side of the PaintingӰר also contains George RodrigueӰרs recollections of his hometown, New Iberia, La.; information about his days in art school; and his early years as a professional artist in Lafayette.
Original Rodrigue works from the coupleӰרs private collection will be displayed as part of the talk. They will include a painting by the artist that appears on the cover of ӰרThe Other Side of the Painting.Ӱר George Rodrigue selected the work, which he completed in 1965 while studying at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, for the bookӰרs cover.
Proceeds from sales of ӰרThe Other Side of the PaintingӰר benefit The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, a nonprofit organization he founded in 2009.
Foundation projects include an annual statewide scholarship contest for Louisiana high school students, providing art supplies for students through ӰרGeorgeӰרs Art Closet,Ӱר and a print donation program that benefits hundreds of non-profits nationwide.
Hilliard Ӱר Art Museum features 11,000 square feet of gallery space and is the largest exhibition space between Houston and New Orleans. It houses a collection of 18th- through 21st-century European, Asian and American art. In addition to its permanent collection, it offers changing exhibitions of regional, national and international art.
The museum is at 710 E. St. Mary Blvd., on the Ӱר campus.
To learn more about the museum, exhibits, programs, and hours, visit or call (337) 482-2278.