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.
"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.
May issue of Art Calendar Magazine- my profile is featured on pg. 44
One question that I seem to get repeatedly as an artist, and not from viewers but from other artists, is “how do you get your work published?” On my website, you will find a Press section in which I post articles in newspapers, magazines, and sometimes online articles about my work. (Take a look at www.amyguidry.com/press.html) If I had to estimate, I would say that 70% of those originated because I notified writers and editors about my exhibits or announcements. (For the record, Art Calendar’s Louise Buyo contacted me- I just got lucky on that one!) Of course these days, press is viral, so if one blog or paper publishes you, another will then post something. I’ve had that happen a lot as well, which I did not directly influence. Anyway, I want to give you some helpful information to boost your own publicity.
First, assuming you already know what you want to promote, make a list of your local media. If it’s an out-of-state show, you should also do some research and find their media contacts as well. Get some double-duty out of your efforts. Once you have your media contacts- names of actual people, not just the name of the newspaper, etc., you can start writing your press release. I’m no writer, (yes, ironic since I have a blog…), but I always write a press release when I have a show or a big award or something I think the general public may find interesting. In your press release, which I like to limit to a one-page letter for expediency, you should give the usual- who, where, when, how, and why. You don’t want to write a bland description covering all these bases. I know- but isn’t that the writer’s job- to spruce things up? Yes, but there is a lot of news out there in the world, and especially for newspapers, it has to be covered quickly on a daily basis and they don’t have enough writers to possibly cover everything. This means you need to get their attention with something that sounds too great to not write about and make it easy for the writer to get all their information in the least amount of time possible.
So, here’s how to do it: You need a pitch. You can’t just write, “I am having an exhibition this Saturday at the Big Time Art Museum.” Start brainstorming. What reasons do you have for the public to find this interesting? Think in terms of impressing not just your writer or editor, but the public as well since that’s who you’re ultimately trying to impress. Think of what would matter most to the public. What is the most significant factor behind your news? How will it affect the public? Think of this as telling a story, not just stating facts.
Once you have your letter written, you can then add to your press release by including images. Either photographs, or a CD, or a brochure- just something with images pertaining to your news. A CD may be best since the writer can automatically use images from it, but if you can also offer to email high-resolution images. Oh, and be sure to send all of this to your media prospects well in advance of your event. I have found that it can take up to 3 months to get coverage, so the sooner the better. Depending on the publication, they may be booked for awhile and not able to fit your story in on short notice. Regardless, give at least a month’s notice to ensure at least some coverage.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back right away… or at all even. Sometimes it takes a few tries, especially if you are unfamiliar to the media. Be persistent (and patient!). Questions? Feel free to ask. Comments? Let me know. www.AmyGuidry.com
If you’ve been following my blog, you may recall awhile back that I was to have a show at the Schepis Museum in Columbia, LA. Well, since that show had been planned a year in advance, and a lot can happen in the meantime, there were renovations being made that turned into a bigger project than expected. So my show had to be postponed. Well, I am happy to say that the time has come and my exhibit will open next month at the Schepis. This will be a solo exhibition of my New Realm series. This series has been in several locations in Louisiana, as well as Austin and Las Vegas. No two shows have ever been the same since works are sold and replaced or new work has been added by the time another show opens. So on and so forth.
The exhibit will open next month- May- and be open through the end of June. With a two-month display time, this should give many of you a chance to see the work in person. I can’t stress enough that I have to use low-res, small images on the web (thanks to copyright infringement), so seeing my paintings in person is a whole other experience. The opening reception will be held on Sunday, May 30th from 2-4 pm.
Many works from the New Realm series can be seen online at www.AmyGuidry.com. While you are there, be sure to check out my Press section for an article in the current issue of Art Calendar Magazine about New Realm.
Amy Guidry's work in the No Dead Artists exhibit at Jonathan Ferrara Gallery
I came across an article the other day in the October 2009 issue of Allure magazine that I wanted to share. Their “Insider’s Guide” series usually takes on interesting topics with a sort of “how-to” approach. I found this one particularly interesting since it deals with art. Rory Evans wrote the piece “How to Visit an Art Gallery” which can be found online at http://www.allure.com/howtos/2010/01/visit_art_gallery. Silly as it may seem, there are many people that have never even set foot in a gallery before and honestly are intimidated. You don’t need to wax poetic about art or philosophy in order to attend an opening or visit a gallery on your own time. Just as anyone can appreciate music or film, the same goes for the visual arts. I can’t play an instrument, but I like Mozart. There’s no harm in that.
So here are some basics. First, galleries are free to visit. You are under no obligation to buy anything and you don’t have to pay to enter. (Museums usually have an admission cost or a suggested admission cost, but it won’t break the bank.) Galleries are generally open Tuesday through Saturday. Openings are generally held on weekends, usually the first or second weekend (be it a Friday or Saturday) of the month. Openings are held in the evenings in most cases, and are late hours with a high attendance. During the week it will be quieter, so you will have more opportunities to focus on the art and even stand back and view the work as a whole.
Galleries and museums both offer work for sale, but not all work is for sale in a museum. So if you are looking to buy, you have more options with galleries. They also change their shows on a monthly basis (for the most part), so there is always something new to see. Galleries will also introduce you to more “new” artists that may not have had as much exposure yet, whereas museums usually grant shows to more established artists.
Understanding the art does not require the Rosetta Stone. For starters, there’s usually an artist statement posted in the gallery whenever there is a show. The artist statement is written by the artist and is their personal account for their work. This will give you a good general idea about the roomful of work you see. It goes without saying, but also take into consideration the name of the show and the titles for the individual artworks. Many artists will admit that there are multiple interpretations of their work and that’s perfectly normal. You may see something different than the artist, or maybe you can add to what the artist feels. There’s no right or wrong answer. No one can tell you how to feel or what to feel, that’s your interpretation to make. All the artist can do is provide you with the information. And even if you do not have the opportunity to meet with the artist personally, you can always ask someone that works for the gallery. As for this artist, I am always open to questions, so feel free to contact me at www.AmyGuidry.com.
"Untitled (Heads)" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
I have some exciting news to share! My work was selected as a runner-up in the Creative Quarterly magazine’s CQ19 competition. This is the first time I’ve ever entered, so this was a nice surprise. Here’s their bio: “Creative Quarterly publishes the best work being done internationally in graphic design, illustration, photography and fine art. Published four times a year, we’re the only competition accepting entries from all parts of the globe.”
So as a runner-up my work will be featured on their website- www.cqjournal.com in June to coincide with the 19th issue on newsstands at that time. By the way, they picked my painting “Untitled (Heads)” as seen on the left. (Good thing, since that was the only piece I chose to enter!) You can see a larger photo on my website www.AmyGuidry.com.
Here’s a list of all of the winners:
Fine Art: Professional
Marie Bukowski
Sonja Danowski
Barbara Duval*
Brent Funderburk*
William Grigsby*, Reactor Art & Design Ltd.
Jillian Ludwig
Andrew Myers
Bruce Roberts*
Kerstin Stephan
Fine Art: Student
Sean Larson, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Angela Young
Graphic Design: Professional
Matteo Bologna*, Mucca Deslgn Corp.
Andrew Byrom
Adrienne Hooker, Studio Wan-ker
Therese Joanis, Leibold Associates, Inc.
Buck Smith
Christine Strohl, The Strohls
Alex Trochut
Marius Valdes, Zoo Valdes
Rozina Vavetsi, Rozina Vavetsi
Karin Von Ompteda, A Work of Science
Graphic Design: Student
Jeffrey Carpenter, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Johnny Chang, Art Center College of Design
Jiyun Ha, Art Center College of Design
Wayne Tang, Art Center College of Design
Jou Ying Liu
Illustration: Professional
Leeay Aikawa
Vlad Alvarez
Scott Bakal
Hans Baltzer
Sonja Danowski
Felix Gephart
Beppe Giacobbe*
Robin Hursthouse
Carl Johanson
Esa Peltonen
Giselle Potter
Steven Tabbutt
Hui Tsai
Illustration: Student
Catherine Choi, California College of the Arts
Sam Wolfe Connelly, Savannah College of Art & Design
Barbara Graetzer, Fashion Institute of Technology
Tory Novikova, Pratt
Shigeko Okada, School of Visual Arts
Alexa Thoen, Minneapolis College of Art & Design
Christine Wu
Photography: Professional
Michael Alberstat, Alberstat Productions Inc.
Marti Belcher
David Ellingsen
Elwin Goh
Steffanie Halley
Jens Honore
Harold Lee Miller
Jes Schrom
Richard Tuschman, Richard Tuschman Images
CQ19: Runners-Up
Runners-up will be displayed on the online Gallery June 2010.
Fine Art: Professional: Runner Up
Paul Cooper
Kelli Craig
Barbara Duval*
Brent Funderburk
Amy Guidry
Chunghee Han
Anita Kunz
Roselyn Leibowitz
Wade Mickley
Jane Powers
Lucas Richards*, MouseSaw
Steven Tabbutt
Jaime Zollars
Fine Art: Student: Runner Up
Antony Anderson, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Abby Cline
Sean Larson, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Zach Nader
Cole Swavely, Massachusetts College of Art
Angela Young
Ina Yun, Cranbrook Academy of Art
Graphic Design: Professional: Runner Up
Phil Choo, Choo Renyer Ball Loftis
Allan Espiritu
Yongseuk Lee, Adhesive Art & Design
Jamie Burwell Mixon, Mixon Freelance
Kurt Munger, Interbrand
Buck Smith*
David Ter-Avanesyan, Ter33 Design
Graphic Design: Student: Runner Up
Sara Alway, Temple University/Tyler School of Art
Sean Barnes, Texas State University, San Marcos
Emanuel Cohen, Université du Québec à Montréal
Jiyun Ha, Art Center College of Design
Katie Hatz*, Temple University/Tyler School of Art
Elizabeth A Herrmann, Maryland Institute College of Art
Jee Won Kim, Art Center College of Design
Amanda Mocci, Université du Québec à Montréal
Francesca Staffieri, Montgomery County Community College
Cynthia Wiley, Iowa State University
Illustration: Professional: Runner Up
Timothy Banks
Pascale Carrington
Matthew Daley, Three in A Box, Inc.
Marcelo Garcia, Aparelho Produtor de Imagens
Felix Gephart
Michael Glenwood
Katrina Kopeloff
Jesse Kuhn
Keith MacLelland
Michael Marsicano
June Michel
Isaac Orloff
Zara Picken
Chris Riely
JungYeon Roh
Matt Rota
Morgan Schweitzer
Kerstin Stephan
Sara Tyson
Andrew Wright
Heidi Younger
Vincent Zawada
Daniel Zitka
Illustration: Student: Runner Up
Christian Castro, Fashion Institute of Technology
Marian Dilan, California College of the Arts
David Gonzalez, Fashion Institute of Technology
YooJin Guak, Ontario College of Art & Design
Nicole Jarecz, College for Creative Studies
Deena Pagliarello, Sheridan Institute
Christine Wu
Photography: Professional: Runner Up
John Abousief
Marti Belcher
Andy Bloxham
Jae Chung
Chris Koules
Jonas Kulikauskas
Harry Longstreet
Yshihiro Makino
Harold Lee Miller*
Jes Schrom
Brian Smale
Richard Tuschman, Richard Tuschman Images
Merrell Virgen, VSPOT Photography
Rachel Waller
Photography: Student: Runner Up
David Corso, Indiana University
Stephen Crimarco, University of Central Florida
Dan Elstone, Langara
Meghan Fischer
Nicole Gavrilles, Ringling College of Art & Design
Frederic Gosselin
Jessica Holcomb, Cal Poly Pomona
Ashley Matthews, Louisiana Tech University
"The Wild West" by Amy Guidry. (c) Amy Guidry 2010
I’ve had a lot of interest in Studio Visit Magazine as of late. Hopefully most of you have found your answers in some of my recent posts. So low and behold, I received an acceptance letter (and email!) from Studio Visit Magazine. My work was selected for inclusion in the Summer 2010 edition. So this will be Volume…10? Not sure, but I think there’s a Winter edition about to come out…then the Summer edition. The juror for this volume was Dina Deitsch, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, deCordova Sculpture Park + Museum in Lincoln, MA. For those who don’t know, Studio Visit is published by The Open Studios Press and is the sister publication to New American Paintings. It is a nationally conducted juried competition featuring 2D and 3D work. Oh, and in case you haven’t seen it- the painting that will be in the magazine is “The Wild West” which I’ve included a small image of here. There’s a closeup of it on my website www.AmyGuidry.com
Well, it seems to me that many artists out there are questioning the upcoming deadline for entries to Studio Visit Magazine. I’ve had quite a few hits to my blog searching for Studio Visit or Studio Visit scam. So, here’s something that I can discuss without getting into trouble for a change. Yes, you should enter! Studio Visit is the sister publication to New American Paintings. Both of which are published by The Open Studios Press. I’m sure many of you are unsure of Studio Visit because you’ve never heard of it. True, it’s new and fairly unknown, but I’ve noticed a remarkable increase in popularity over the past few years, so they are building a following. Studio Visit just started a matter of years ago- 3 or 4, if memory serves. They are lacking the legions of fans of New American Paintings, but that’s not to say they won’t build their own impressive fan base. Good things come to those who wait… or those who with good PR efforts. Regardless, the magazine is a good-looking publication. I’ve been in it before, so I can vouch for their slick presentation. The jurors aren’t too shabby, either. As with New American Paintings (or NAP, for short), they’ve managed to get prestigious museum directors and curators to jury their exhibitions-in-print.
I won’t say that getting into Studio Visit will be the overnight success you are looking for… then again, I wouldn’t say that about anything. However, it will get your work in front of galleries. The magazine is shipped out to galleries and museums all over the place, as is NAP. I can say that I’ve had a gallery contact me as a result and it helped grease the wheels to get me representation with another gallery. It jogs people’s memories and gets them thinking about your work. And when your work is in front of a gallery over and over again, your name starts to stick. So I leave you with this: if you’d like to have your work noticed by important people, in a high-quality publication, then the upcoming deadline is February 5th.
"Adaptation" by Amy Guidry; From the New Realm series; Copyright Amy Guidry 2009
I’ve been away for a little while from my blog. Hopefully you’ve noticed. 😉 I’m working on a new body of work and am deeply involved in sketching out all the new ideas I have. Okay, so enough excuses. Here’s one new piece of information. If you haven’t read about it by now, my work has been featured in three volumes of Studio Visit Magazine. Studio Visit is the sister publication to New American Paintings and is published by The Open Studios Press. So now in addition to having my work in their publication, they have also featured me on their website. All past volumes of Studio Visit Magazine are now shown on the website and the winning artists from each issue are listed as well. In addition, those artists that have websites have a link to their site via StudioVisitMagazine.com. So if you’d like to check out the volumes that I’m in, go to www.studiovisitmagazine.com/volumes.html and click on an issue to see the artists. And if you’d like to view more of my work, be sure to check out my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.
Studio Visit Volume 5 Cover "Adaptation" by Amy Guidry ; Painting by Amy Guidry, featured in Studio Visit Magazine Vol. 5
The latest volume of Studio Visit Magazine has arrived! I just got my copy the other day. It’s Volume 5, the Spring 2009 edition. My work was selected (again…yea!) for inclusion. My painting, “Adaptation,” from my “New Realm” series is featured.
The juror for the Spring 2009 issue was Michael Klein, an independent curator and private art dealer. He was the former Director of the International Sculpture Center and former Curator of the Microsoft Art Collection. Studio Visit is published by the Open Studios Press.
Studio Visit is the new sister publication to New American Paintings. In contrast to New American Paintings, Studio Visit Magazine is an internationally juried publication featuring 2-D and 3-D artwork. Featured jurors are internationally recognized professionals in the art industry.
My painting “Adaptation” was accepted for inclusion. (See photo on the top right.) It is from my “New Realm” series and is currently at Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, TX, which is one of my representing galleries.
To view more of my work, or a larger image of “Adaptation” visit my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.
