Descriptive Essay Assignment due in 24 hours

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Maggie Aguillard Instructor Joyce Cottonham English 110.400 13 February 2017 Descriptive Essay

Hawaiian Blues by George Rodrigue: Homesick for Louisiana

George Rodrigue is the artist laureate for the state of Louisiana, deserving that title for

the well-known art that represents all that is great about living in this paradise on earth. He was

born in 1944 near Lafayette in New Iberia, Louisiana, the heart of the Cajun country. He worked

for more than forty years in the profession of art, becoming famous all over the world, especially

for the creation of the recognizable blue dog motif. His formal education included two years at

the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, as well as further art education at the Art Center

College of Design in Los Angeles, California. The graduate school at that location laid the

foundation for his style in drawing and painting. When Rodrigue was not in class, his art world

and acquaintances influenced his style with abstract and popular styles. Rodrigue was invited to

New York City for his work’s exposure, but, instead, decided to return to his home Louisiana,

where his soul could capture the core of his personal beloved world, which included unique

cultural and religious ideals found only him (GeorgeRodrigueFoundation.org). Rodrigue

believed that in his home where he felt comfort and inspiration locally. There is no place like

home, in his thinking. His usual themes of Louisiana’s history and culture include massive oaks

with moss, or Cajun people enjoyed the joie de vivre, but I chose Hawaiian Blues to analyze

since it is different from most of his artwork. Rodrigue’s Hawaiian Blues is a tribute to his

heart’s dedication to his birthplace, clearly about his love and devotion to Louisiana. Rodrigue,

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in Hawaiian Blues, shows his feelings for Louisiana in Hawaiian landscape, the blue dog’s facial

expression, and the title of this work.

First, Rodrigue talks to the viewer about the beautiful surroundings in the paradise of

Hawaii, but he is also sharing his feelings without words in his painting of the Hawaiian

landscape. The lei around Tiffany’s neck puts the scene of the painting smack dab in the middle

of where most people consider paradise on earth – Hawaii. The luscious, green palm trees with

the majestic mountains in the background confirm the location. The multi-colored butterflies of

pink, yellow, red, green, purple, orange, and blue starting in the foreground and wafting through

to the back infer the carefree spirit of the island’s magic for most visitors (Artencounter.com).

The cloudy skies belie Rodrigue’s homesickness. Skies in Hawaii are nearly always bright blue.

Rodrigue paints Hawaii as overcast and gray, telling his audience that he has the blues.

The second way Rodrigue is expressing his feelings toward Louisiana in this picture is

with the facial expression of the famous image. Tiffany is the name of the blue dog. She is not a

family pet. Rodrigue originally painted the Blue Dog to signify a Cajun myth of loup-garou in a

Cajun short story book that he illustrated. Knowing this fable since boyhood, Rodrigue

researched for a suitable image. His studio dog Tiffany, who had been deceased for a few years,

seemed like a good fit for the werewolf-like creature. Tiffany was added to his favorite Cajun

legends. In Hawaiian Blues, Rodrigue features Tiffany in Hawaii. The facial expression is clear

that Tiffany is not joyous in that paradise of Hawaii in spite of the awesome scenery and the

fabulous weather.

Finally, Rodrigue is clear in the title of the work about his attitude while visiting Hawaii

– Hawaiian Blues. While most visitors talk about the greatness of Blue Hawaii, Rodrigue admits

to having the blues in Hawaii. In the middle of all the exotic beauty, his heart longs for his

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homeland. He concedes that the islands of Hawaii are breathtaking, but he is obviously

homesick. Paradise, for Rodrigue, is in the Cajun country. He has taken the Cajun out of

Louisiana, but he has not been able to take the Louisiana out of the Cajun.

In conclusion, Rodrigue’s expected themes of the history and culture of Louisiana

include mossy oaks or Cajuns enjoying life. Hawaiian Blues is unique. This painting expresses

his dedication to Cajun country. Hawaiian Blues is transparent his love and devotion to

Louisiana, as he exposes his homesick heart in the center of the world’s ultimate paradise,

Hawaii. In the vibrant landscape, the sad look on Tiffany’s face, and the title, Rodrigue gives his

audience vivid cues to his feelings.

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Works Cited

Rodrigue, George. Hawaiian Blues. Artencounter.com. (2017). Web. Retrieved 9 Feb. 2017.

http://www.artencounter.com/product/hawaiian-blues-george-rodrigue.

Rodrigue, George. Hawaiian Blues. GeorgeRodrigueFoundation.org. Web. Retrieved 9 Feb.

2017. http://www.georgerodriguefoundation.org/site372.php.