The dog days of Christmas In welcome contrast to typical coffee-table art books, George Rodrigue’s Blue Dog Man provides a glimpse of the artist’s creative evolution. Millions today are familiar with Blue Dog and his curious stare. Few, however, understand the relationship between the painter and his subject. Born as a loup garou (French for werewolf), Blue Dog has grown to symbolize Rodrigue’s search for truth.
Though far from his Arcadian roots, Rodrigue has never forgotten his heritage and home. Without this foundation, there would be no Blue Dog to allow the artist to grow artistically. It is precisely this growth that has marked Rodrigue as one of the most interesting painters today. Concerned little with whether critics regard Blue Dog as high art or low art, Rodrigue is content that his icon provides him with a means of expression for his journey through life. While Blue Dog Man presents the reader with some of Rodrigue’s finest images, it is the artist’s prose that makes the book special. This fascinating account of an artist’s favorite icon reminds us of one of the most valuable elements of artistic expression: change.
