One of the collection paintings is shown at the Bayou Teche Museum. 

It’s easy to forget that New Iberia residents have a rare collection from an internationally recognized artist available for viewing, but it’s never too late to take a trip to the Bayou Teche Museum to view the special exhibit dedicated to George Rodrigue.

The museum partnered with Rodrigue’s wife, Wendy Rodrigue, to show the Life and Legacy Tour exhibit at the museum.

The museum features paintings Rodrigue’s “Painting for Myself” collection, which features 37 never-before-seen pieces from Wendy Rodrigue’s collection.

“No matter how grand his accomplishments or how wide reaching his travels, Rodrigue focused tenaciously on his ideas, accompanied by sincerity in his paintings and home in his heart,” according to a prepared statement from the museum. “This exhibition explores Rodrigue’s personal art journey through the artworks he embraced without care of others’ opinions, expectation of monetary gain or a collector or agent standing by.”

Director for the museum Marcia Patout said the exhibit has been a popular one since it was first brought to the Bayou Teche Museum. The exhibit ends on May 25. 

The collection spans two parts of the museum and showcases a more intimate Rodrigue. The New Iberia native is most famous for his “Blue Dog” paintings depicting the famous character that Rodrigue put into so much of his work.

After his death in 2013, Wendy Rodrigue continued the effort of promoting her husband’s work around the country and has partnered with the Bayou Teche Museum on several occasions to promote his work.

Also included at the Bayou Teche Museum is furniture from Rodrigue’s artist studio, with the splotches and stains from painting still visible at the exhibit of the office. Thanks to the Bayou Teche Museum, Rodrigue fans are able to look at a more intimate side of Rodrigue and his work that become known around the world.