Tag Archives: Painting

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"Simone" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Simone" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

I hadn’t mentioned this sale before on my blog, but I thought it would be a great time to do so since one of my inspirations is having an opening next month. One of my earlier series consisted of portraits and figure work, this being one of those paintings. I was (and still am) a big fan of Philip Pearlstein’s work, and thought of his nudes when painting this piece (except sans the various objects in the background, since my focus was on closeup views of the faces and figures). As it turns out, Mr. Pearlstein is having an opening November 4th at Betty Cunningham Gallery in New York. Judging by the title of the show, it will consist of all new paintings, too.

So my homage to Philip Pearlstein has sold. But if you are in the area, you can see why I am such a fan of his work by checking out his show at Betty Cunningham, which will be up through Dec. 11th. And if you’d like to see more of my work, be sure to visit www.AmyGuidry.com.

Looking Ahead

Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery, University of Nevada, Reno
Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery, University of Nevada, Reno

It’s a little early, considering this will take place next year, but I’m very happy to announce that my work will be in the “Myself” exhibition at the University of Nevada, Reno. The exhibit will take place in the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery and is curated by gallery director, Marjorie Vecchio. There will also be an exhibition catalogue featuring essays by Joy Garnett and Mira Schor.

This will be the second time my work has been shown in Nevada. I came across the call for artists through Ms. Garnett’s blog and was excited to see that she would be contributing to the catalogue. I am honored to be one of the selected artists. Here is the official list: Funda Zeynep Ayguler, Marie Bergstedt, Megan Berner, Emma Bee Bernstein, Chris Carnel, Jean Marie Casbarian, Craig Cully, Megan Cump, Joe Delappe, Michael Eade, Peter Emerick, Joy Episilla, Elise Gardella, Alex Gingrow, Jen Graham, Cynthia Greig, Amy Guidry, Jen Harris, Rosi Hayes, Ahren Hertel, Amiee Hertog, Nene Humphrey, Suzanne Joelson, Josh Jordan, Jiyeaon Kim, Eunkang Koh, Kate Kretz, Larry Lee, Julie Leguin, Elizabeth Leister, Teryn Loebs, Holly Lynton, Megan Malone, Valerie Margolis, Lilly McElroy, Alan Mevis, Rob Millard-Mendez, Elizabeth Morisette, John Orth, Kathryn Pannepacker, Maria Paschalidou, Sarah Peters, Zoran Poposki, Robert Pritchard, Clifford Pun, Letitia Quesenberry, Carol Radsprecher, Erin Riley, Page Adriana Russell, Susannah Sayler, Matthew Schlagbaum, Tim Sharman, Jackie Skrzynski, John Steck Jr., Joshua Stern, Robin Tewes, Kristine Thompson, Clare Thorton, Mickayel Thurin, Christina Renfer Vogel, Deborah Wasserman, Jessica Watson, Orion Wertz, and Tammy Wofsey.

The exhibit will take place at the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery of the University of Nevada, Reno from January 18th through February 18th. There will be an opening lecture and reception on January 20, 2011.

New Painting!

My latest painting from my “In Our Veins” series is finished! The title of this piece is “Symbiotic” and it is an acrylic on canvas, 11″w x 14″h. I took photos as I went along to give some insight into my process of painting. I started with an initial sketch directly onto the canvas. After laying out the placement of all the animals and the tree roots, I started my first rough layer of paint. Then I continued to build upon the painting with several more layers, working a “section” at a time, each getting more detailed along the way.

View a larger version of the final painting on my website at www.AmyGuidry.com

"Symbiotic" intial sketch; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" intial sketch; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" underpainting; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" underpainting; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
Detail, "Symbiotic" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
Detail, "Symbiotic" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" underpainting; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" underpainting; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" painting process; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" painting process; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" painting process; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" painting process; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic" (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic"; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic"; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic"; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic"; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic"; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Symbiotic"; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
Final painting- "Symbiotic" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
Final painting- "Symbiotic" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

Museum Acquisition

"Zachary" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Zachary" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

I am happy to announce that my work is now in the permanent collection of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art in Cedar Rapids, IA. My painting, “Zachary,” from my 2005 series of work is now part of the museum’s collection. The painting is 26″w x 22″h, framed, and an acrylic on canvas. To view a larger image of “Zachary,” visit my Facebook fan page at this direct link.  While you are there, be sure to join my page for the latest updates!

Into the Wild

Installation view of Amy Guidry's paintings from the In Our Veins series
Installation view of Amy Guidry's paintings from the In Our Veins series

My work was recently selected for inclusion in the Multispecies Salon 3: Swarm to be held in New Orleans this November. The exhibit will take place in three gallery spaces- The Front, Kawliga Studios, and Ironworks. As stated on their website, the exhibit will “use art to address a series of interrelated questions about nature: Which species flourish, and which fail, when natural and cultural worlds intermingle and collide? What happens when the bodies of organisms, and even entire ecosystems, are brought into schemes of biotechnology and dreams of biocapitalism? And finally, with particular relevance to New Orleans: In the aftermath of disaster–in a blasted landscape that has been transformed by multiple catastrophes–what are the possibilities of biocultural hope?”

Multispecies Salon was first organized by anthropologist Eben Kirksey and friends as an outshoot of the annual convention of the Association of American Anthropologists (AAA). The AAA will hold their convention in New Orleans from November 18-21, 2010. The Multispecies Salon will schedule a speaking series as well as a reception for anthropologists who will be in New Orleans for the convention on Thursday, November 18.

There are also three themes to the exhibit: “Edible Companions,” “Life in the Age of Biotechnology,” and “Hope in a Blasted Landscape.” Since this is still early, I don’t have all the details yet, but I believe my work will be in the “Edible Companions” exhibit at The Front gallery. The opening for the event will be November 13th as part of the Second Saturday Artwalk in the St. Claude Arts District. The exhibit will be up through December 5th. As I get more details such as time, etc. I will post as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you’d like to see more of my work, be sure to check out my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.

Studio Visit- Volume 12

Studio Visit Magazine, Volume 12
Studio Visit Magazine, Volume 12
The Wild West by Amy Guidry- Studio Visit Magazine, Volume 12
The Wild West by Amy Guidry- Studio Visit Magazine, Volume 12

The newest volume of Studio Visit magazine is finally out! I received my copy a couple of weeks ago, so I’m a little late in posting… I just scanned the photos now. This is the Summer edition, so it came out at the end of August. Studio Visit is published by The Open Studios Press and is the sister publication to New American Paintings. The juror was Dina Deitsch, the Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, deCordova Sculpture Park + Museum in Lincoln, MA. My painting, “The Wild West,” was selected for inclusion and comes from my latest series of work, “In Our Veins.” If you’d like to see a larger image, as well as a close-up, the direct link is here- www.AmyGuidry.com– (note: scroll down for the close-up).

Interviews

Detail from "Survival of the Fittest" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
Detail from "Survival of the Fittest" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

There are currently three sites posting my work, two of which include new interviews. First, as mentioned in an older post, my work was selected for inclusion on the beinArt Surreal Art Collective site. If you are unfamiliar with the site, it is an online collection of surrealist works by renowned artists (many are my personal heroes) such as Ron English, Laurie Lipton, and Kris Kuksi. I’m really excited and honored to have my work included among such great artists. Check out my profile at beinArt.org-Artists-Amy Guidry.

Two recent interviews are posted online as well. First, I had an interview with Guy Sangster Adams of the U.K.’s “Plectrum- The Cultural Pick.” It’s a great interview and Mr. Adams had some wonderful comments about my work so check it out at Plectrum-Exhibition/New Work Preview and Interview:Amy Guidry.

The second interview was with Silvia Moreno-Garcia of the Canadian zine, Innsmouth Free Press. Another round of interesting questions, which you can check out on their site at Innsmouth Free Press- Interview:Amy Guidry.

Field of Dreams

Artist Amy Guidry with her work at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall
Artist Amy Guidry with her work at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall

No one cares about your art more than you do. It’s true. It’s not unlike showing your vacation photos to everyone. They mean well, but after about two minutes, the enthusiasm wears off and their eyes glaze over. I was inspired to write this after going through some old art magazines to clear out the mountain of periodicals I’ve saved. I came across a rather disheartening article in a very popular magazine. The author was giving advice on how to be a successful artist. Some of the author’s tips? Paint what sells- not more “complex” paintings, don’t bother showing in libraries or university galleries since they don’t generate sales (museums usually don’t either, but I don’t know an artist alive that wouldn’t jump at the chance to show in a museum), and sell on Ebay- specifically bright, colorful, quick paintings- no drawings. I know better than this and even I found it depressing! I can only imagine what other artists must think.

So this is what leads me to my frustration. I don’t care who they are or if they mean well, no one truly cares about your art or your art career as much as you do. This is why you are the only one that can determine what your goals are and if, at the end of the day, you’ve done all that you can to achieve those goals. Don’t listen to the naysayers, the haters, the critics, the cynics, or the non-believers. What do they know anyway? Even some of the experts can’t always predict what you, personally, need to do. That’s why it’s up to you to take in all this information and filter through it and find what is applicable and toss away what’s not. You know what you need to do. You know if your work is the best it can be. You know what you should create. If you try to “paint what sells,” you’ll be chasing your tail for quite some time. Popularity changes as do marketing trends. Something that sells one day, won’t the next. That’s why there are trend analysts that make a living at this. Great work is great work and it will attract its own popularity. And while I’m at it- if you were to avoid university galleries, libraries, museums, or any other venue for fear of little to no sales, you wouldn’t be an artist, would you? I couldn’t imagine not having the experience of seeing art, especially when I was a student, at a university gallery or museum. Some of the most significant shows of our time come from these venues.

In my own personal experience, I’ve heard it all. I’ve been told what I should paint, how I should paint, and I’ve even had a drunk non-artist tell me what is and isn’t art. When I made the decision to paint and to try to get into a gallery exhibit, even one of my “good” friends told me that I couldn’t do it. It’s a good thing I didn’t listen to any of these people, otherwise I may not have even been an artist at all. Anyone listening to that kind of advice would quit before even starting. Don’t make that mistake. If you’re already a working artist, just keep on trucking. If you’re just starting out, stay focused and put your blinders on. And maybe invest in some good ear plugs.

Being a true artist takes grit. There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, and you’ll need to develop a thick skin. However, I can’t imagine a more rewarding experience.  I always like to think of these words by Ralph Waldo Emerson:  “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

If you’d like to learn more about my own work and what I’ve been up to, check out my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.

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"Untitled (Heads)" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Untitled (Heads)" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

One of my most recent works has found a new home already. My painting, “Untitled (Heads),” sold while at Wally Workman Gallery’s 30th Anniversary exhibit in Austin. The show is still up, so if you’ve missed it (or would like to go again!) there is still time to see it. The exhibit ends September 4th and gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5. I should also mention that two more of my recent works are also in this exhibit- “The Wild West” and “Survival of the Fittest.” So if you’re in the area, be sure to get a look at these in person since photos can never do the art justice. For more information, visit www.WallyWorkmanGallery.com. And if you would like to see my entire portfolio, visit www.AmyGuidry.com.

Homecoming

"Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

Yes, I know that titling this “Homecoming” conjures up thoughts of football and brightly colored taffeta. However, that’s not the type of homecoming I’m referring to. I’m exhibiting in the “Where Are They Now” exhibit at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall in Slidell, Louisiana.  I was a student in the Talented Art Program during my junior high and high school days in St. Tammany Parish, so as an arts professional, I have been invited back to take part of their exhibit. The Times Picayune recently posted an article about the show, featuring one of my paintings- the direct link – www.nola.com.  (Though it was too late to correct this for the papers, my work was featured on MTV’s Real World: Hollywood, not New Orleans.)  Opening night will be this Friday- August 27th from 7-9pm.  The exhibit will remain up through September 25th at City Hall.

I also found out that the Slidell Commission on the Arts has selected my work to be featured in a solo exhibition in the 2011-2012 cultural season.  The exhibit will take place at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall.  I’ll be sure to post more details closer to time.  More information regarding shows can be found at www.AmyGuidry.com.  You can also sign up for my newsletter on the Contact page of my site.