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Posted by Charnisha Simmons

Local Artists

George Rodrigue

George Rodrigue & Blue Dog painting

George Rodrigue was born in New Iberia in southern Louisiana on March 13, 1944, the one child of George and Marie Rodrigue. He is primarily known for his paintings of the Blue Dog. He started only painting the Blue Dog in the early 1990's. According to nytimes.com, “People who have seen a Blue Dog painting always remember it. They are really about life, about mankind searching for answers. The dog never changes position. He just stares at you. And you’re looking at him, looking for some answers, ‘Why are we here?,’ and he’s just looking back at you, wondering the same. The dog doesn’t know. You can see this longing in his eyes, this longing for love, answers.” In the later years he decided to work on other forms of art, but never abandoned the Blue Dog. He painted for the people who walked past his studio on Royal St. in the French Quarter of downtown New Orleans. 

Brandon Odums

Brandon Odums and his artwork

Brandon Odums is the founder of 2-Cent Entertainment, which is a youth organization that connects the gap between pop culture and social awareness. He uses his type of art for activism. In 2013 he gained nationwide attention wide for his graffiti murals  depicting iconic African American civil rights crusaders that he painted on the sly on the walls of a soon-to-be-demolished-and-rebuilt public housing complex in the 9th Ward. He is trying to empower the city's youth to channel their creativity into positive projects.

Brandon's artwork/murals

References:

Wood, Jennifer. "20 New Orleans Artists You Should Know." Complex. Complex, 23 July 2014. Web. 02 Jan. 2018.