Every day you wake up and go through your notes and writings and remember what was important to you and what was important to me. And you see what you have…an outline of what you recorded already, all of these vignettes of all the things we talked about.
That will help you live, because all of that is about me! And it continues. You’ve gotta pull it out of your head, and you’ve gotta pull it out of my head.
George Rodrigue- 11/29/13
Exhibition then travels to the Bayou Teche Museum in Rodrigue’s hometown of New Iberia, Louisiana, in celebration of his 80th birthday, March 13, 2024.
George taught me to connect with my audience on a personal level. I prepare by learning about the place and the people. I tour schools, research on the internet, and stroll through the local cemetery. Before a tour, I sit in silence, remembering George and connecting to him.
Oftentimes I surprise myself by recalling stories I’ve never shared, even as staple narratives feel new, because they are unscripted, and because I lived them. The experience is easily fresh for my audience, adjusted in tone and details according to the people in front of me and whatever I think, and hope, might resonate, inspire, and help us connect.
Wendy Rodrigue
September 2023 included tours within George Rodrigue: Painting for Myself, at the Museum of New Art in Portsmouth, NH. Douglas Magnus, who swears he learns something new every time, took these photos.
Each tour is a sweeping overview of George Rodrigue’s career and the evolution of his art, demonstrating his proficiency, dedication, and restless exploration of various artistic mediums and, most importantly, ideas. The audiences of seasoned, art-loving patrons at MONA were somewhat astonished by the scope of these presentations and the personal nature of Wendy’s delivery. Her knowledge and passion for the subject is unmatched. As noted by numerous observers on the recent tours, they had never seen or experienced anything like it.
Doug Magnus
This installation of 50 artworks from George and Wendy’s private collection continues at MONA through Jan. 2, 2024. Sponsored by Avery Insurance.
In 2024, “George Rodrigue: Painting for Myself” moves to the Bayou Teche Museum in Rodrigue’s hometown of New Iberia, Louisiana. Join Wendy for exhibition tours mid-March, including a gala celebration on George’s 80th birthday, March 13th.