For a change of pace, I will serve as the juror for the upcoming LAA “Eye of the Beholder” exhibition in Lafayette, LA. I was honored to be asked and more than happy to be this year’s juror. I’m excited to see the work that is submitted, especially as I am sure to see work by new artists and those that are just new to me, in addition to new work by artists that are fixtures in the art community here. The competition is regional and open to anyone in from Texas to Florida. Submission dates are May 16- 25, which is right around the corner, so get your entries in soon. Also, it is an open themed show, so don’t get too caught up in the exhibit title. More information can be found on the Lafayette Art Association website at this link: http://lafayetteart.org/wp/2012/05/eye-of-the-beholder-xxvi-submit-may-16-25/
Design by PangeaSeed Creative Director - Aaron Glasson (Rah Akaishi)
I have recently been invited to participate in The Great West Coast Migration, a touring art exhibition, organized by PangeaSeed in an effort to benefit sharks and oceans in Japan and beyond. According to PangeaSeed, “We are very excited to showcase a robust fund-raising art collection featuring works contributed by more than 100 internationally renowned artists, graphic designers, filmmakers and photographers. Almost all of our globally-based artist friends will be premiering their works for the first time ever in the United States. Also a percentage of the proceeds from the summer exhibitions will also help in aiding the startup of PangeaSeed’s inaugural west coast chapter whose mission and efforts will help further fundraising to keep sharks afloat on the west coast and around the world.”
The exhibition tour will take place at the following:
Seattle – Roq la Rue Gallery- July 13-15
Portland – Grass Hut Co.- July 20-22
San Francisco – Spoke Art Gallery- July 27-28
Los Angeles – LeBasse Project- August 2-4
Costa Mesa – The Artery- August 10-12
San Diego – Space 4 Art- August 17-19
Participating artists include: Dave Kinsey, Mike Stilkey, Brad Klausen, Yoram Benz, Skinner, Gale Hart, Shark Toof, Bwana Spoons, Craig Tapecat McCudden, Bigfoot, Danny Miller, Rah Akaishi, Justin Lovato, Lindsey Carr, Serge Gay Jr., Brett Amory, Robert Bowen, Ryan Maguire, MCA, Mario Wagner, John Fellows, Ronzo, Sylvia Ji, Toshikazu Nozaka, Michael Alm, Lindsey Way, Remo Camerota, Cometdebris (Koji Harmon), Gargamel, Blunt Graffix (Matt Dye), Samuel Rodriguez, Aaron De La Cruz, Ben Tour, Linnea Strid, Crajes, Becky and Louise, Max Dalton, Olek, Caitlin Hackett, Derek Nobbs, Jeni Yang, Scott Belcastro, Yoh Nagao, Joshua Petker, Flick Ford, Lisa Congdon, Josie Morway, Luciano Scherer, Scott Hove, Tati Suarez, Tugboat Printers, Victor Castillo, Peap Tarr, Meg Adamson, SHERYO, Aidan Monahan, The Yok, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Cinzah Merkins, Nao Harada, Sage Vaughn, Adam Wallacavage, Erik Otto, Mr. Jango, P Williams, Morgan Slade, Jasper Wong, Flavien Demarigny, Laura Ball, Courtney Mattison, La Pandilla, Sam Rulz, Casey Grey, Greg Simkins, Jim Phillips, Nathan Spoor, Kid Creature, Ransom and Mitchell, Cupco (Luke Temby), Kelly Allen, Sean Tuttle, Amy Guidry, Kozyndan, Rhys Cooper, John Stuart Berger, Bruce Gossett, Sandra Cappelletti, Michael King, Carbon, Kim Scott, Ashley Suzanne Taylor, Mika Tenekoon, Pascal Lecocq, APAK, Asher Jay, Trip Airways, Kaoru Sakai, Jim Mazza, Winnie McDonald, Rob Mack, Jeremy Pruitt, Rick Rietveld, Ben Brough, Caspian de Looze, Nathan Paul Gibbs, Thaddeus Strode, Paul Kaiju, Le Merde, Vexta, Kool Kid Kreyola, Foerdl Scheichenost
I’ll be posting my finished piece for the exhibit here (and the links below) so be on the lookout.
Bizarre Beyond Belief- Amy Guidry In Our Veins feature
My work was recently featured on Bizarre Beyond Belief, a site that is “dedicated to the brilliant, beautiful and bizarre.” Several works from my latest series In Our Veins are featured. Check it out here: http://bizarrebeyondbelief.com/2012/04/27/amy-guidry-in-our-veins/.
I’ve discussed donating art a few years ago on this blog, but since this is such a debated topic, I thought it would be useful to revisit it. It’s great to have someone think so highly of your art that they believe it would help their organization to auction it off. On the other hand, as your career progresses, you’ll find that you are being asked to donate your work to auctions A LOT. Sometimes one a week. At that rate, you won’t have any art left to sell. So what’s an up and coming artist with a heart of gold to do? Well it won’t be easy, but you’ll have to pick the ones you want to help (and feasibly can) and politely let the others know that you can’t.
Sounds simple enough, right? There are a few considerations to keep in mind first. Obviously if the auction/charity/event is to benefit something close to your heart, then those are the causes you’ll want to start with. Some causes may not be in line with your beliefs- for example, I am a vegan, therefore I will only donate to charities that do not test on animals. While you are narrowing down your favorites, also take a look at the event details:
Where is the event venue? Is it a venue that you are proud to be associated with?
What is to become of your donated art- is it going to be hung on a museum wall or is it being used in an auction?
If it is an auction, what happens if the work is not sold– do you get it back?
Do you like the other artists’ work that will be seen with yours?
If it is an auction, is the starting bid price at a reasonable rate so as not to devalue your work? Can you set the starting bid price yourself? Can you set a reserve amount?
Do you get a percentage of the sale?
Will you receive free tickets to the event (presumably for you and a guest)?
If you cannot answer these questions, then don’t be shy- find out from the event organizer or coordinator. Many organizations, while they mean well, do not realize that artists get these requests quite often and that they are essentially asking you for a donation worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, so don’t feel bad about looking out for yourself. Also, be aware many organizations will try to sell you on the idea of donating as a tax write-off. This is only partly true. You can only deduct the supplies/materials used to create the piece. Youcannotwrite-off the actual art donated. (This only applies to collectors of art that has appreciated so they donate to museums and get out of paying income tax on the appreciation.) It’s unfair, I know, but that’s how it works, at least in the United States. If you’re looking to get some sort of deduction, you should just write a check to the organization. If you are happy with the event parameters and have available work to donate, go ahead with it, attend the event, and do some networking. Perhaps the auction winner will become your next collector…
The latest edition of Vegan Mainstream’s VStream Zine is now available. I am honored to be a part of their feature on Vegan Professionals. I’ve also had the opportunity to learn about many other vegan companies and services as a result. The issue is about change, whether it pertains to ourselves or changing the world, so many of the professionals, myself included, relate our stories of change through our business. With my artwork, I hope to have a positive impact and create change starting with my viewers, and hopefully-maybe-if-I’m-lucky that has a chain reaction. If you would like to read my story, as well as the many other stories, recipes, and articles featured, you can order a download here (as well as get a sneak peek): www.veganmainstream.com/vstream-magazine-ebook-book-guide-zine-vegans.
“The Sum of Its Parts” by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 11″w x 14″h; SOLD; (c) Amy Guidry 2012
I have finally finished the painting that I mentioned last week. I’m excited to reveal my latest work in the In Our Veins series titled The Sum of Its Parts. It is 11″ wide by 14″ high and an acrylic on canvas. I think I set a record for going through the most paintbrushes in one painting. I took artistic liberties with the size and placement of the stag’s heart to emphasize its significance and to center it up with the animals falling out. Without being too graphic, I wanted to illustrate when one species dies, many other species are affected. Each animal serves a role in the life cycle, together forming the delicate balance of nature. The trees not only close in the composition, but connect with the animals via the roots seen at the bottom and illustrate the role of plant life and the Earth. The butterflies, which are often seen throughout this series, serve as metaphors for life and beautiful little reminders of our short existence in the scheme of things. A larger view of the painting can be seen here: www.amyguidry.com/sum-of-its-parts.html.
"Wolfpack" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 12" x 12"; (c) Amy Guidry 2012
It’s been an insanely busy week, hence my lack of posting sooner. The good news is I will be revealing a new painting I’ve been slaving over for quite some time, so be on the lookout for it. I also have an upcoming show which is just a couple of weeks away. I will be in a 3-person exhibit at Barrister’s Gallery in New Orleans next month with Nikki Crook and Monique Ligons. I’ll be showing works from my In Our Veins series, my most recent body of work. This should be a really fun show and opening night will also be held in conjunction with the SCAD Artwalk, May 12th from 6-9pm. For those of you that would like to get a sneak preview, you can check it out here: www.barristersgallery.com/upcoming.html.
I’m happy to announce that my work is currently featured on the online arts journal, Escape Into Life. They have included a lot of images, ranging from some of my older work up to my most recent paintings. And they kindly mentioned my group exhibition at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, including a link to my work there as well, to boot. You read the feature at this direct link: www.escapeintolife.com/painting/amy-guidry/ and be sure to check out all the great art on the rest of the site while you’re there!
I’m just now getting around to posting photos from the opening reception of the 15th International Open. My painting Fleeting was selected for the exhibit at Woman Made Gallery by guest juror Linda Warren of Linda Warren Gallery, also in Chicago. Here are a few of the photos from opening night- more are on my website at www.amyguidry.com/events.html. The good news is there is still time to see it since the show is up now through April 26th.
Artist Amy Guidry with her work at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall
I decided to re-post this since it was a popular post I had done awhile back. So for those of you that are new or may have missed this, I hope you find it inspiring!
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.”
