Capturing the essence of Louisiana is no small feat. But it’s a call countless artists have responded to over the years. Now, over 120 of those works, including photographs, prints, paintings and sculptures, have been curated in the LSU Museum of Art’s newest exhibition, A Bayou State of Mind.

Visitors can view the works of well-known natives such as Malaika Favorite, John T. Scott, Shirley Rabé Masinter and George Rodrigue alongside those by world-renowned painter Hunt Slonem and Boston’s Nathalie Miebach, whose woven sculptures translate scientific data into art. In this unique display, each artist and their works highlight Louisiana’s unique cultural heritage, traditions, diversity and spirit. Perhaps most exciting to Louisiana art enthusiasts is the inclusion of The Bayou Collection, comprised of 40 paintings by Rodrigue that originally accompanied ghost stories written by Abbeville native and author Chris Segura, which debuted at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans.

This collection includes the first painting of the now iconic “Blue Dog,” which became the turning point of Rodrigue’s career, as his work then shifted to focus on Tiffany, his beloved spaniel-terrier. A Bayou State of Mind is on view from September 4 through January 4, 2026, and will be celebrated during the Free Fall Reception on Thursday, September 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit lsumoa.org.