A painter in styles ranging from realism to symbolic abstraction and a distinguished,much respected art educator, Lamar Dodd appears to be the state of Georgia's most recognized artist of the mid to late 20th century. He had a career centered in that state, although his education and some of his painting assignments, such as being an official artist for the National Aerospace Program, took him far beyond his home town of Athens. There at the University of Georgia, he was professor and chairman of the art department, now named the Lamar Dodd School of Art.

Lamar Dodd was born in Fairburn, Georgia in 1909 and was raised in LaGrange, Georgia. When he was twelve, his obvious art talent led to his acceptance as a special student at LaGra...