Dionicio Rodriguez

Dionicio Rodríguez (1891–1955) was a Mexican-born artist and architect whose work can be seen in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as Washington, D.C., and Mexico City.

His work is noted for its unique style of concrete construction that imitates wood, known as Faux Bois (French for false wood). Gates, benches and artificial rock formations were created by the artist to invite visitors to rest or explore the landscape.

Many of his major works of art are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Biography Rodríguez was born on April 11, 1891, in Toluca, State of Mexico, in Mexico to Catarino Rodríguez and Luz Alegria de Rodríguez. His family moved to Mexico City when he was young. When he was older, he worked with his father and brother as a bricklayer. Sometime later in Mexico City Rodríguez was hired by Luis Robles Gil, a contractor and civil engineer, and by J.W. Douglas who Rodríguez made cement objects for.

Cedar Hill Cemetery

Working in Cedar Hill Cemetery just outside Washington, D.C., in suburban Suitland, Maryland, in 1936 and 1937, Rodríguez built numerous sculptural pieces, including a fallen tree bench, a tiled block bench, two bridges with branch railings and log decks, a tree shelter, and an Annie Laurie Wishing Chair.

Crystal Shrine Grotto Construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began in 1938. The grotto is a 60-foot (18.3-meter) deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with five tons (4.5 metric tons) of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Rodríguez' sculptures and the Crystal Shrine Grotto in the Memorial Park Cemetery are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Woodlawn Garden of Memories At least five of the sculptural pieces in the Woodlawn Garden of Memories in Houston are the work of Rodriguez circa 1940: the 25-foot (7.6-meter) tall cross and its surrounding four benches; a flower planter basket; a 60-foot (18.3-meter) long fallen tree bench; and an Annie Laurie Wishing Chair.

Other works Aviary at the Houston Zoo, 1513 N. McGregor Houston, TX, NRHP-listed Buckeye Park Gate, 1600 W. Wildwood San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Chinese Sunken Garden Gate, Brackenridge Park, 400 N. St. Mary's St. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Couchwood, 601 Couchwood Rd., Shorewood Hills, AR, NRHP-listed Crestview Park, Crestview and Cherry Hill Drives, North Little Rock, AR, NRHP-listed Dionicio Rodriguez Bridge in Brackenridge Park, 400 N. St. Mary's St. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Eddingston Court, 3300 Proctor St. Port Arthur, TX, NRHP-listed Elmwood Cemetery, 600 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Birmingham, AL Fence at Alamo Cement Company, 7300 Jones Maltsberger Rd. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Fountain at Alamo Cement Company, 7300 Jones Maltsberger Rd. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Gate, Fence and Hollow Tree Shelter Designed by Dionicio Rodriguez, 320 Oak St. Clayton, NM, NRHP-listed Gazebo for Albert Steves, 105 FM 473, at east portion of property Comfort, TX, NRHP-listed Gazebo for James Richard Marmion, 1214 County Rd. Sweeny, TX, NRHP-listed Jacala Restaurant, 2702 N. St. Mary's St. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Lakewood Park, Address Restricted North Little Rock, AR, NRHP-listed Little Switzerland, Address Restricted Shorewood Hills, AR, NRHP-listed Miraflores Park (seven works), 1184 E Hildebrand Ave. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Palapa Table for James Richard Marmion, 1214 County Rd. Sweeny, TX, NRHP-listed T. R. Pugh Memorial Park, 3800 Lakeshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR, NRHP-listed Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN, NRHP-listed Stations of the Cross and Grotto at the Shrine of St. Anthony de Padua (grotto and 14 stations), 100 Peter Baque Rd. San Antonio, TX, NRHP-listed Trolley Stop in Alamo Heights, 4900 blk of Broadway Alamo Heights, TX, NRHP-listed Woodlawn Garden of Memories Cemetery, 1101 Antoine Houston, TX, NRHP-listed