Recently, Avery arranged for the Crescent Lake and Carpenter Elementary School students in Wolfeboro to experience the magical art of American artist George Rodrigue. Presentations were led by George Rodrigue’s widow, Wendy Rodrigue, who shared never-seen-before artwork from their private collection as well as special stories related to George’s career and life as part of her Fall 2023 Life & Legacy Foundation school tours, a nationwide arts-in-education initiative. 
In the late 1960s, George Rodrigue began painting Louisiana landscapes. In the mid-1990s Rodrigue’s Blue Dog paintings, based on a Cajun legend called Loup-garou, catapulted him to worldwide fame.
Following the school series, the Life & Legacy Foundation will travel to Portsmouth where the Museum of New Art (MONA) will host the largest exhibition of George’s rarely-seen artworks ever held. The exhibit is titled “George Rodrigue: Painting for Myself” and runs from September 14, 2023 to January 2, 2024.
This exhibition and educational tours are made possible by the generous support of Avery Insurance. “We are so excited to celebrate George’s art and Wendy’s storytelling in this one-of-a-kind experience,” said Vicki O’Dowd, Vice President of Avery Insurance and personal friend of the Rodrigue family. “Avery is proud and pleased to bring this collection of extraordinary paintings to our community.” The timing of the exhibition coincides with the 10th anniversary of George Rodrigue’s passing and highlights the artist’s journey and commitment to philanthropy.
