Exhibit curator Colin Miller’s speech for the Forum for Equality
Amy Guidry with co-exhibiting artist Stephanie Patton
Installation shot of my work
I wanted to share some photos from my night at the Forum for Equality exhibit. The Lafayette chapter of the Forum for Equality held a group exhibition- “Fight for Your Rights” at The Alamo. I was honored to be invited to participate for such a great cause. The exhibit coincided with the Forum’s event to get the public involved in the fight for equal rights and support the LGBT community. For more information on the Forum for Equality, visit their website at www.ForumforEquality.com. There was a great turnout for the show, lots of support, and a lot of fun. I have a few photos posted here but more can be found under the events section of my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.
I received news the other day that my work was selected for this year’s Art Melt in Baton Rouge. So looks like my new work is going to get some more exposure! The 2010 Art Melt will be held at a new venue this year- the Louisiana State Museum in Baton Rouge, LA. The jurors for this year’s exhibit were Andrea Pollan, the Executive Director of the Curator’s Office in Washington D.C; Denny Mecham, the Executive Director of the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi; and Paul Dean, Associate Professor at the LSU School of Art in Baton Rouge, LA. The exhibit will open July 16th and remain up through August 28th. There will be a preview party on July 15th from 6:30-10pm.
For more information, check out their website at www.ArtMelt.org. And for more information on my work and to view my portfolio, visit www.AmyGuidry.com.
I was recently asked to participate in the Forum for Equality’s “Fight for Your Rights” exhibit. The opportunity sort of popped up, as that happens sometimes with exhibits, and luckily I had work available to show. The group exhibition features work by local (Louisiana) artists supporting LGBT equality. In addition to the art, there will be food, wine, and music. And it’s all for a good cause, with 40% of the proceeds going to the Forum for Equality. The Forum For Equality “is a statewide civil rights organization dedicated to the establishment of a society free from discrimination and to the support of good government.”
Where you need to be: The Alamo (downtown Lafayette); When: Friday, June 25; Time: 8-11:30pm. See you there!
Detail of work in progress- "Survival of the Fittest" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010Detail from "Survival of the Fittest" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
You may recall I posted a small piece of my latest work on here. Although it’s not finished yet, I do have a good chunk done to show you. This time it’s roughly one and a half feet wide. I’m calling this piece “Survival of the Fittest.” After all the hours and days and months (!) I’ve invested in this piece, I’m starting to think this is a test of my own fitness. I’m no quitter, though, so I will be posting the finished piece soon!
This will be my latest addition to my series, “In Our Veins.” BTW, you can also read more about this series on my website since I’ve recently added an artist statement. And for those of you who are wondering, this is an acrylic on canvas, 36 inches wide by 18 inches high.
So in the meantime, enjoy these detail shots of my progress and be sure to check out the rest of this series on my website www.AmyGuidry.com.
From my exhibit "Face to Face" during Artwalk at Artists + Architects
Time has flown by so quickly, I almost forgot to post this month’s Artwalk schedule. Second Saturday Artwalk in downtown Lafayette, LA starts this weekend- June 12th. Some galleries are open as of 5 (though I think the official start time is 6pm) and will remain open until 8pm. And this is a free event!
Acadiana Center for the Arts– 101 W. Vermilion St. / 337-233-7060
Main Gallery: Through July 24, 2010- Southern Open 2010
Side Gallery: June 12 – July 2, 2010- Kent Hutslar Memorial
Vault Series: Through July 24, 2010- Pat Juneau
Cajun Spice– 535 Jefferson St / 337-232-3061 Anne Bulliard Crownover Glasswork & Mosaics
Cité des Arts– 109 Vine St. / 337-291-1122 West Coast Feelings Collection: Los Angeles to Lafayette 2010 works by DGeyrald
Galerie Eclaireuse– 535 Jefferson St. / 337-234-5492
Paintings by Steve Schneider, Dennis Sipiorski and Ruth Sipiorski
Gallery 549– 549 Jefferson St. / 337-593-0796 Frederic O. Daspit- New Sculpture
Gallery R (at The Russo Group)- 116 E. Congress St. / 337-769-1530 Lynn Eustace Sanders- “Collaborative Color”
Pottery Alley– 205 W. Vermilion St. / 337-267-4453 “The Spirit of Haiti”– steel drum art by Carlo Brutus
Sans Souci Gallery– 219 E. Vermilion St. / 337-266-7999 “Drawn to the Stage”- A Collection of Drawings by Elemore Morgan, Jr.
*Not part of Lafayette Artwalk, but as a reminder, I am currently showing in Columbia, LA at the Schepis Museum. My exhibit, “New Realm,” is up now through June 30th. Admission is free and the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9-5pm. View photos from the opening at www.AmyGuidry.com
Artist Amy Guidry with Schepis Museum Curator Jane Meredith
Installation view
Here’s a taste of my event photos from my show at the Schepis Museum in Columbia, LA. More on my events section of my website www.AmyGuidry.com. The show is a solo exhibit of my “New Realm” series and is up now through the end of June, so be sure to stop by if you are in the area. The News Star, the Monroe local newspaper, also ran a short article about the show. Read the article online at http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20100528/LIFESTYLE/5280303.
"Cuzco" by Frededric O. Daspit; wood with acrylic and iron oxide
I recently purchased a wall sculpture by Fred Daspit and thought it would be nice to share some photos of a few pieces from my art collection. I spend a lot of time showing my work, meeting other artists, and obviously hanging out in galleries, so it’s no surprise that I’d get the collecting bug. It’s one thing to hang your own art in your home, but to have work from other artists in different styles and media is entirely another.
As I was taking photos, I started to consider why I purchased these particular works of art. Given the fact that I am an artist, I thought it might be interesting to consider collecting art from the buyer’s perspective. Obviously I enjoy the art in my collection and find it aesthetically pleasing, but clearly there’s more to it than that. So what drives one to buy art? I think this is something all artists, myself included, have asked ourselves at some point in time. I don’t know that there is any one answer, given there are different buying
Untitled by Tom Ladousa; ceramic
“styles” out there. However, I do think there are a few common traits amongst buyers. As I said, I buy art because I like it and most people like the art they purchase (those that purchase art solely as an investment may not necessarily like the work).
"Ship" by Troy Dugas; vintage prints on wood panel
As an artist, I also understand the value of art. I’m well-aware that it took a hell of a lot of time to create that masterpiece I’m about to buy, and it’s only fair that the artist is paid for their time and skill. I don’t give away my work, so I certainly don’t expect anyone else to.
Another factor is liking the artist. It’s not just about liking the work, but also liking the person behind the work. I have purchased from artists I never met, or met after the fact, but most works are by people I know and like. Those I don’t know personally have a good reputation amongst the art community, though.
Lastly, the fact that these artists are in the public eye on a regular basis serves as a great reminder that I should buy their work. And when I say public eye, I don’t necessarily mean they are featured in the news or received some big accolade. It could be their personal emails to me or a postcard invitation to a show. Anytime I see their name, it just reminds me of their work and the fact that I would like to own a piece.
Some people buy on impulse, some buy because it’s just a great deal, but I think it’s safe to say that all of us should get out there and meet and greet if we want to sell art. With that said, if you would like to see and learn more about my work, be sure to check out my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.
Someone recently asked if I ever post photos of my work in progress. Technically yes, but it’s usually just a snippet of a painting. So I dug through some photos for this “photo diary” post of sorts since I actually documented my work on “Untitled.” So here goes:
The initial sketch on canvas for "Untitled"Making the first mark with paint- very rough initial layerFirst layer of paint completeAdding more layers to the sky and clouds, building it slowlyOne of my helpers sleeping on the job. I inadvertently woke him up with the cameraThe sky is finished at this point. More detail has been added to the ground and the cliffs.Another helper- testing paintbrush durabilityFinishing details such as rocks have been added to the backgroundAdding more layers and detail to the horse head and ribcageHorse head and ribcage are finished, final details added. More layers added to carcass.Detail shot of the finished horse head and desert cliffsFinished painting- "Untitled." (c) Amy Guidry 2010
“Untitled” by Amy Guidry; Acrylic on canvas; 30″w x 24″h
To view this painting as well as more of my work, visit www.AmyGuidry.com. And while you are there, if you’d like to be informed about new work and upcoming events, sign up for my monthly newsletter on my contact page.
Detail shot of work in progress by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
I always enjoy my visits to Austin, Texas since there’s so much to do and so much to look at- it’s absolutely beautiful. And it just so happens that I am represented by one of their great galleries- Wally Workman Gallery. So this August, I will be in Austin for Wally Workman’s 30th Anniversary show. This will be a huge show, so it’s a good thing the gallery is large itself. All of the represented artists will be showing several new works. Add that up and it’s colossal. And let’s not forget- thirty years! This speaks volumes in the art world where- unfortunately- many galleries don’t make it two years, much less thirty. So in celebration, Wally Workman Gallery is having a show preview on August 5th in conjunction with First Thursday Artwalk. The blowout party and opening reception will be held August 7th from 6-8pm. And if you can’t make either of those evenings (or both!), the exhibit will be up through August 28th.
As for me, I have been toiling away on a new piece to submit for the show. It’s 3 feet long, so this is one of the biggest pieces I’ve done in this latest series of work. I have included a sneak peek- just a small portion of the painting. It’s not the best photo either since I took it myself. Haha. But it gives the basic idea… and of course I will be posting the painting in its entirety once it’s officially finished. So in the meantime, if you’d like to see more of my work, be sure to visit www.AmyGuidry.com.
"Special Ingredients" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
Funny that I just wrote a post on how to get your work published,that I received some good news regarding my own art. I had submitted my work to Adbusters Magazine quite some time ago and the right opportunity has finally presented itself. It just so happens my painting “Special Ingredients” is the perfect fit for one of their features and will be in the July/August 2010 issue. (That’s it on the left!) More good news- my work will also be featured with an artist’s profile/gallery on the beinArt Surreal Art Collective. I’ve been a fan of this site for quite awhile now and am honored to be included among the many talented artists featured there. I don’t have an exact date on when my work will be posted, but I will let everyone know as soon as it is online. In the meantime, be sure to check out their site (the name is a link!) and also be sure to check out Adbusters- online or in the bookstore. And if you would like to see more of my work, visit my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.
I was recently asked to participate in the Forum for Equality’s “Fight for Your Rights” exhibit. The opportunity sort of popped up, as that happens sometimes with exhibits, and luckily I had work available to show. The group exhibition features work by local (Louisiana) artists supporting LGBT equality. In addition to the art, there will be food, wine, and music. And it’s all for a good cause, with 40% of the proceeds going to the Forum for Equality. The Forum For Equality “is a statewide civil rights organization dedicated to the establishment of a society free from discrimination and to the support of good government.” 
