Tag Archives: vegan

New work: “Sequence”

"Sequence" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 6"w x 12"h; (c) Amy Guidry 2011; SOLD

At last, I have finally finished another painting from the “In Our Veins” series.  I’m always looking for ways to improve, no matter how big or small, so I really focused on the textures in this piece.  Though you can’t really tell here, so be sure to go to my website for a better look, in addition to a zoom-in feature (the magnifying glass icon on the top right)- www.AmyGuidry.com/sequence.html.  The title is “Sequence” and it is an acrylic on canvas, 6″ wide by 12″ high.

Much of this series, as stated in my artist statement (which is posted on my website), deals with the life cycle so the title is in reference to that process.  Both life and death are represented, new life- plants, animals- are seen building upon each other, one leading to the next, which is also why I opted for a long, vertical composition.  The animals I chose follow, for the most part, a hierarchy of sorts as seen in nature.  Though it may be odd for a vegan to discuss this, but the animals depicted follow each other in the food chain (side note- as a vegan, I realize this is a fact of life, however I have a choice when it comes to what I eat).  The roses were an almost subconscious choice at first, but seemed appropriate for the piece given that we use roses to celebrate life as well as to honor those that have passed.

New Interview

"The Pack" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 20"w x 10"h; (c) Amy Guidry

I did an interview for Meaning-full recently and it is currently posted online!  For those of you that don’t know me personally, this interview gives a little more insight into my work, my process, as well as a little more about me.  And there are lots of images, so be sure to check out the second page of the post in order to read the interview.  Just go to http://meaning-full.com/05/meaning-full/painting-amy-guidry/.

There’s also a link to my site from the interview, but in case you don’t know, my work can be found at www.AmyGuidry.com.

 

BAP Quarterly

"Symbiotic" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 11"w x 14"h; (c) Amy Guidry 2011

So excited- I came across some good news just after it was announced (apparently I was on the web at the right time…). I have been selected as one of the artists to be featured in the Brooklyn Art Project’s BAP Quarterly #1. This is their first full-color publication and will be out this summer. Featured on the left is one of my paintings to be included- “Symbiotic.” “The Wild West” has been selected as well, so my excitement is doubled. The publication was guest-curated by Samantha Levin (Anagnorisis Fine Arts, Curator for White Rabbit, NYC).  100 artists have been selected, including some of my personal faves- Carrie Ann Baade and Caitlin Hackett.

For more information and a list of the 100 artists to be featured, visit http://blog.brooklynartproject.com/2011/05/100-artists-selected-for-brooklyn-art-project-quarterly-1/. And to view more of my own work, visit my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.

 

New painting

“Heads II” by Amy Guidry; 12″ x 12″; acrylic on canvas;  Sold; (c) Amy Guidry 2011

My latest piece is now finished and online! I had some back problems to slow me down a bit, but managed to pull through. This is the most recent addition to my “In Our Veins” series. It is a 12″ x 12″ painting, acrylic on canvas, titled “Heads II.” It is related to a previous painting- “Untitled (Heads).” I recently discussed this one and wanted to share my thoughts behind it. The concept behind this piece, as with several of my paintings, is that of humans viewing nature as a means to an end. We view animals as pieces and parts- head, tongue, rump, rear, breast, wing, etc. If they are not referred to as parts, they are named something other than what they are- chickens are poultry, pigs are pork, cows are beef, etc. They are no longer acknowledged as animals, but as food. Others are treated as trophies to hang on a wall, or turned into “luxury items” to wear or carry things in. I see animals as sentient beings- living, breathing, thinking, with offspring of their own to care for.

While humans typically treat their fellow members of the animal kingdom as a means to an end, I depict them with personalities, or what others arrogantly deem as “human” qualities (as if only humans can express emotions). For instance, many of the animals I paint have eyes that appear “human,” in that you see the whites of the eyes, or they have lighter colored eyes and not large, dark doe eyes as typically associated with animals. Some animals are positioned in a dominant stance or their facial expression is calm and serene- again, qualities typically associated with only humans. In this painting, the animals are confident and staring directly at the viewer, demanding attention and acknowledgement.

For a larger view (much larger, thanks to my recent website redesign), visit the following link: www.AmyGuidry.com/Heads_II.html

The Pack

I’ve just finished another painting in the “In Our Veins” series. This one is titled “The Pack” and is an acrylic on canvas, 20″ wide by 10″ high. I took “some” photos of the painting as I was working on it from start to finish. Going through them, I just think “UGH!” I’m happy with the end result, but I have to admit that my back, neck, and shoulders took a beating after pouring long hours into this one. For a closer look at the finished piece, visit this direct link: AmyGuidry.com-The Pack.

Original drawing on canvas for "The Pack" by Amy Guidry
Initial rough layer of paint for "The Pack"
Finished rough layer of "The Pack" by Amy Guidry
Next layer of paint is added to the sky, intensifying the color
Sky has another layer of paint added, reaching the desired hue
Clouds are finished and have their final layer of paint added to brighten the whitest areas
Next layer of paint is added to the desert sand to smooth it out
Final layer of paint added to sand to bring out the details
Finishing touches are added to the desert- small rocks are added
Initializing the next layer to the cliffs in the background, starting on the left
Still working my way across the cliffs, adding paint, and then reworking details as I go
Cliffs are now finished, now on to the wolves, going left to right again
Working on wolf #1, adding another layer of paint, then cleaning up details as I go- hair, eyes, mouth, etc.
Wolf #1 just about done, started next layer on wolf 2 before I finish the front leg of wolf 1
Final details to wolf 2 added, then finished up the leg of wolf 1 since those fine hairs need to be added
Adding next layer of paint to wolf 3, focusing on the darkest areas first to build up the colors
Built up the darkest areas, now adding details- hairs along the back- and working in lighter tones
Finished details to wolf 3, now adding next layer to wolf 4, building up dark areas
Next layer of paint on wolf 4 complete, now adding hair detail, and lighter tones
Finished the hair details to wolf 4 as well as the detail in the feet
Finally at the last wolf, adding next layer of paint, adding darker tones
Building up the tones in the last wolf, adding details as well- face, eyes, hairs
Finished piece- "The Pack" by Amy Guidry; (c) Amy Guidry 2011

549 in April

"Synergy" by Amy Guidry, acrylic on canvas, 8" x 10", (c) Amy Guidry 2011 If you live in Lafayette, Louisiana, or even in the Acadiana area, you are probably familiar with Gallery 549. Gallery 549 is one of several gallery hot-spots during Artwalk in downtown Lafayette, and one of my personal favorites to visit. So I’m happy to say that I will be showing there next month as part of the annual Spring group exhibition. I’ll be showing works from my “In Our Veins” series, all new and not previously exhibited- so this will be their debut! If you are in the area, this is your chance to see my work in person. I show all over the country, so I really love it when I have the opportunity to show in a local venue so that friends and family can attend. The opening reception will be held during the Second Saturday Artwalk in April (which will be April 9th) from 6-8pm. Hope to see you there!

Oh, and for those of you who are out of area, you can visit my work virtually at www.AmyGuidry.com.

Mother Nature

I wanted to share one of my latest paintings from my “In Our Veins” series. The title is “Mother Nature” and it is an acrylic on canvas, 6″ x 6.” This is one of the more overtly vegan paintings from the series. I’m disturbed by the fact that humans are willing to drink what is “breast milk” even though they are adults (and it’s not even from their own species!). Yuck. It’s no wonder so many people are lactose-intolerant… because it’s not natural! I wanted to create a piece around this concept, ironically naming it “Mother Nature” because there is nothing natural about it. That said, I have a few pics of my process to share. You can see the finished piece on my website at this link: www.AmyGuidry.com- Mother Nature.

I always wanted to be cool

Artist Amy Guidry with her paintings at Wally Workman Gallery, Austin, TX
Artist Amy Guidry with her paintings at Wally Workman Gallery, Austin, TX

I don’t know anybody growing up who didn’t wish they were in the “cool” crowd. Well, unless you already were in the cool crowd… So, better late than never, I think I finally reached “cool” status since I’m now featured on Vegans Are Cool. The name implies you’re cool, so I’m going with it. Silliness aside, I’m honored to be one of the featured interviews and to represent those vegans in the creative field. And it’s nice to get into some more personal aspects of my work since those opportunities don’t happen if your work is on a gallery wall and there’s no one around to explain it. So for a little more insight into my world- art, veganism, etc.- check out my interview at www.vegansarecool.com (also under the category- vegan creatives).

Sold (New Painting)

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

I’m posting my latest painting… I had photos taken and it sold the very next day. So I never actually had it posted on here beforehand or on my website, www.AmyGuidry.com. So here’s the first look… This is “Untitled”, a 6″x 6″ painting from my “In Our Veins” series. It’s inspired by another painting from the same series- “Untitled (Heads).” As a vegan, I’m always perplexed/frustrated/disturbed by the concept of animals being nothing more than parts- head, hoof, breast, wing, rib, rump, the list goes on. Animals are viewed as merely a means to an end. So with “Untitled (Heads)” and this newest painting, “Untitled,” I wanted to convey this concept in a Surrealist manner. As with its predecessor, this is an acrylic on canvas. All the tiny hairs, spots, and eyes of the ram, squirrel, and turkey caused me to go through several 00 round brushes.  So several trips to Michaels later, here is the finished piece!

On another note, as a reminder I am having a contest to win one of my New Realm 5″ x 5″ paintings. To enter, sign up for my newsletter at this link- AmyGuidry.com Sweepstakes. One out of the first 200 people to sign up will win!

Sold

"Burden to Bear" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; (c) Amy Guidry 2010
"Burden to Bear" by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; (c) Amy Guidry 2010

It wasn’t that long ago that I posted this painting, and I am writing about it again already. “Burden to Bear” has recently sold and is now in its new home. This is an acrylic on canvas from my “In Our Veins” series. I won’t go into too much detail seeing as I just wrote about it, so if you missed the previous post, just scroll down a little and you can read up about this painting. The image is small, so to get a better view, visit my website at this direct link: www.AmyGuidry.com.

And for anyone new to the site, there is still time to sign up for the chance to win one of my New Realm 5″ x 5″ paintings. Sign up for my monthly newsletter on the Contact page of my website. One person out of the first 200 to sign up will win! The direct link is here: www.AmyGuidry.com Sweepstakes.