Tag Archives: Art

Remember, Remember, the 13th of September

“Beginning” by Amy Guidry; From the New Realm series; SOLD; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008

Okay, that was a play on V for Vendetta…  I’m running out of catchy titles.  Anyway, you should remember the 13th of September, this Saturday, because it’s the opening of my New Realm solo exhibit at Henri & Odette!  This will be the debut of my series in Las Vegas!  So if you live in Vegas, are going to Vegas, or know anyone in Vegas, be sure to check out my show.  This work has had a lot of buzz, so come see what it’s all about.

The opening reception is from 6-8pm at Henri & Odette on the 13th.  The show will be on display through October 22nd, so if you can’t make it (and why not?) you can still catch the show later.  The gallery is located at 124 South Sixth Street, Suite 130, in Las Vegas, Nevada of course.

For more information, contact me at www.AmyGuidry.com

Speaking of Gustav… and I Don’t Mean Klimt

"United Isolation" by Amy Guidry; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008

During the panic of preparing my home for what surprises Hurricane Gustav would bring, I was also concerned about what to do with my artwork. Thankfully, I have pieces that are in galleries far away from the hurricane’s path, however, I had to then deal with the artwork currently in my possession. So I thought it might be helpful to post a blog on how to prepare your artwork in the event of a hurricane. Of course, anything could happen, and following these ideas may not prevent all damage from occurring, but it’s sure worth a shot.

First, you should already have this on hand, but make sure you have good photographs of all your artwork. This will be important for insurance purposes. Whether you evacuate or not, you should keep these photographs, digital files, what have you, in a safe place- air-tight container perhaps- or take them with you if you leave. Now, I’m gearing this towards paintings since that is my experience, but this can apply to other media as well. Move all artwork away from windows or vents- anywhere water or debris can get in due to strong winds, etc. Keep everything up high and off the floor in case of flooding. If you have a closet with high shelves, move pieces there if they will fit.

All pieces should be covered to protect from moisture- not just flood water, because even a small amount of water in your home will cause mold and mildew to grow when there is no power (i.e. no air conditioning to keep air circulating and control humidity). I would recommend covering pieces with a sheet of paper over the face of the piece, and wrap in glassine. This will help ward off any condensation (just as you would when shipping a painting, especially to any area with a significant climate change from your location). To further protect the work, wrap in Mylar or polyethylene. Since you never can be to sure, I would then place the work in some type of airtight, heavy plastic bag.

As soon as you can get back to your home in the event that you evacuated, remove all plastic wrapping, etc. from your work. If your power is out, it may be best to leave the work wrapped in Mylar since you will still have to deal with humidity in your home. Or if you have a friend, neighbor, etc. whose power is on, I would ask to leave the work in their home, unwrapped, so it can breathe. If your work has any debris on it, you can gently wipe that off with a soft, dry cloth. Don’t use any type of cleaning products, though, as this will ruin your paint. If there is any mold, which hopefully Mylar would prevent that anyway, you will have to bring the piece to a professional art restorer. I would not recommend trying to remove mold yourself.

Again, none of this is a guarantee, but it should for all intents and purposes protect your work. Even without anything crashing into your work, the possibility of water damage in some form or another is pretty high. My brother’s work had mold growing on it even though Hurricane Katrina only brought about an inch of water into his home. It was the lack of electricity for several weeks that allowed the humid conditions needed for mold to spread. (His work was also hanging on the walls, unprotected.)  So you just never know. If you really want to be safe, I’d say rent a U-Haul, pack your work in there, and leave!

www.AmyGuidry.com

Blast From the Past

Early work from high school portfolioThis is one of my portfolio pieces from high school. I thought it might be fun to post work from my “early days.” I drew this from an ad for Ralph Lauren’s Safari perfume. I remember it being a hit in my art class. I actually still have it buried away in one of my many portfolios. You can see where the paper buckled from all my wear and tear on it as I was coloring in such a dark section. The small glass pieces were fun to do. I treated each one with individual attention.  I also liked drawing in the lions. 

I blocked in the length and width of the bottle in my original line sketch, and then filled in the squares of glass.  So actually, you can see how the piece is not perfectly symmetric, thanks to my freehand work.  Somehow I managed to squeeze it all in so the patterns still fit within the bottle.  And one side is narrower than the other.  Still, I’d say it’s not too shabby for a teenager. 

This was during my black and white stage- everything I did was in pencil or charcoal. Black and white photography was fascinating to me, so I used those concepts in drawing.  Now, obviously, I love to work in color. You can check out my new work at www.AmyGuidry.com.

The Greatest Show on Earth

"Get Your Popcorn! Peanuts! Cruelty!" by Amy Guidry; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008

Well here’s a sneak peek for all my blog fans (hopefully there are a lot of those…).  I was invited to participate in a show for A Bitchin’ Space in Sacramento, California.  The theme was right up my alley.  Maybe [Gale Hart] figured this out by viewing some of my social commentary pieces, but somehow they knew to ask me if I’d like to do a piece for “The Circus Show and Other Atrocities.”  I jumped at the chance since, as a vegan and quasi animal rescue organization (I’ve taken in a lot of homeless animals over the years…), I detest the circus and its treatment of animals.  Soooo, this leads to my latest creation- “Get Your Popcorn!  Peanuts!  Cruelty!”

I toiled over my sketchbook forever coming up with the perfect idea for this show.  I wanted to convey the circus’s cruelty without being gratuitous, either.  I kept thinking of the old animal cracker box I used to get as a kid, the one by Nabisco that came with a string on top of the box to reuse (?) as a Christmas ornament (?).  Then finally I decided to go with that theme, but Amy-ize it with my own sarcastic flavor.  Hence the animals with giant bites taken out of them, and the re-wording of the brand name and description.

So that’s it!  Your official sneak peek at my work.  It’s not even on my website yet (but it will be soon), so in the meantime, check out my other work- www.AmyGuidry.com.  My other social commentary pieces can also be seen in my Painting section of the website.

As for the greatest show on earth, well, obviously I’m not referring to the circus.  The show is “The Circus Show and Other Atrocities” and will open on September 13th at A Bitchin’ Space.  If you can’t make it then, my work and the other 99 artists’ works will still be on display until October 11th.  And yes, this show is the best on earth because it includes artists from the US, UK, and Canada.  You can find the gallery at 2114 19th Street in downtown Sacramento.  You can check out their website at www.abitchinspace.com.

Gallery Representation

"Wisdom" by Amy Guidry; From the New Realm series. Copyright Amy Guidry 2008

Well, I did not post anything last week given I was in Austin recently.  I had planned a trip anyway, but while I was there I brought my work to Wally Workman Gallery.  They are now representing me in Austin, TX.  I’m thrilled because some of the artists I admire show there, and it’s just a nice space.  So I’m in really good company, and happy to have my work in their venue.  You can check out my work on their website at http://www.wallyworkmangallery.com/amy_guidry.lasso.  In addition, my entire body of work can be seen on my website, www.AmyGuidry.com.    

The painting featured in this post is titled “Wisdom.”  This is one of the pieces currently at Wally Workman Gallery.  It is one of the newest pieces from my New Realm series.  The title is in reference to the wisdom that is gained from life experiences and journeys.  The butterflies and feathers above the stag’s head symbolize thought and creativity.  Hence the woman taking the butterfly, thus taking wisdom. 

New shows, New Work, New, New, New!!

"Awake" by Amy Guidry; SOLD; From the New Realm series. Copyright Amy Guidry 2008

New Work:

I have completed several small paintings from my New Realm series. You can view the pieces at www.AmyGuidry.com under the 5” x 5” series.

Shows:

The New Realm series will be featured at Henri & Odette (formerly Jennifer Marie Gallery) in Las Vegas, NV. The opening reception will be September 12th from 6-8pm. The gallery has moved to a larger location so the show was rescheduled to September. The exhibit will run through the end of October.

I will be exhibiting my work in “Ameri-Dreaming: Art & American Culture.” The show is scheduled for October 8- 31, 2008 in the Claypool-Young Art Gallery at Morehead State University in Morehead, KY.

I will also participate in “Circus Show and Other Atrocities” this coming September. My work will be featured among 60 other invited artists from the US, UK, and Canada. The show will be held at A Bitchin’ Space in Sacramento, CA.

In addition, my work has been selected for the Ohr National Challenge juried exhibition. The show will be on display at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, MS from September 19th through November 10th.

Also, I have been invited to show in the Many Faces of Portraiture invitational exhibition. The show will open September 13th at the Art House in Covington, LA.

Representation:

I have recently attained gallery representation in Austin, TX. The Wally Workman gallery will now represent me exclusively in the Austin area. Their website is www.wallyworkmangallery.com

Publications:

The Daily Advertiser did a feature on my work upon the Zigler Art Museum’s acquisition of my painting “Cedric.” “Cedric” is part of the Louisiana artists collection, which will be a traveling collection, and includes work by renowned artists Clementine Hunter and William Tolliver. Read the article at www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbc.dll/article?AID=/20080624/LIFESTYLE/806240306

My work has been selected for the fall edition of Studio Visit Magazine to be published this year. The juror was Carl Belz, Director Emeritus of The Rose Art Museum of Brandeis University. The magazine is scheduled to be available in October and is published by The Open Studios Press.

I am featured in Issue 8 of Indie Arts- The DVD Magazine as one of their four gallery artists. You can see more at www.IndieArtsDVD.com

Television:

Alas, MTV’s Real World Season 20 Hollywood has come to an end. If you missed the show, you can still see my painting “United Isolation” in photo stills from the show at www.amyguidry.com/press03.html.  Video footage coming soon!

Sin and the City

Installation view from "New Realm- Works by Amy Guidry" at the AcA in Lafayette, LA

My show, New Realm, will be making its Vegas debut this coming September.  Some favorites will be in the show, plus some never seen before.  And since they are such a big hit, my 5″ x 5″ series will be in the show as well. There will be new pieces in the small series also.  So grab them up while you can!

The show will be featured at Henri & Odette in Las Vegas, NV.  The opening is September 12th from 6-8 pm.  Gallery hours will be Tuesday through Saturday from 12-8pm.  The gallery is located at:

Henri & Odette
124 S. Sixth St. Suite 130
Las Vegas NV 89101
702.686.3164
www.Henri-Odette.com
formerly www.JenniferMarieGallery.com

As always, you can view my work on my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.  I will be posting more details about the show as they come up.  You can also sign up for my newsletter at http://AmyGuidry.com/contact.htm  for  more information on upcoming shows and events. 

 

 

Cedric

Amy\'s New Realm series was recently on display at the Zigler.For those of you who read the newspaper, perhaps you saw the article in yesterday’s Daily Advertiser about my painting at the Zigler Museum.  Herman Fuselier interviewed me last week about my “Cedric” painting which is now in the permanent collection of the Zigler Art Museum in Jennings, LA.  Even if you didn’t catch the article, you can still read it in the virtual world at http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/LIFESTYLE/806240306

As mentioned in a previous blog, my painting is now part of the Louisiana collection of the Zigler.  It is among other Louisiana artists, such as heavy-hitters Clementine Hunter and William Tolliver.  The intention is for this expanding collection to travel to other museums and art institutions in the near future. 

Given the fact that my painting is of Cedric Watson, a Grammy-nominated musician and a favorite of the locals in Acadiana, I thought it was the perfect fit for the Zigler’s collection.  Not to mention the museum was pretty keen on it as well.  In addition, Cedric and the rest of his group, The Pine Leaf Boys, are scheduled to play at a museum event later this fall. 

Check out my painting on my website www.AmyGuidry.com.  While you are there, you can see the rest of my portrait series in addition to the new work that I’ve been up to lately.

 

 

Too Shy Shy, Hush Hush, Eye to Eye

"Complacent" by Amy Guidry; SOLD

Yes, for all of you fellow music hounds, that is from a Kajagoogoo song.  My title refers to all you shy (?) readers out there that have not left any comments or questions for me.  Don’t be shy!  What thoughts do you have concerning art- be it mine or others?  Do you have any questions?  What’s on your mind in regards to current art trends or the art market?  Let’s get a discussion going here.  I’m providing my insight on this blog, but if there’s a certain issue you’d like to get my perspective on, let me know.

For instance, one question that I seem to get a lot is how I come up with ideas for my artwork.  I think nothing of it, but perhaps this is a tough issue for other artists or maybe they’re just curious about my thought process.  To answer the question, I generally sketch tons of ideas out and pick and choose what I want to bring to fruition.  Usually once I start, I then decide on the direction I want to go in so I can create a cohesive body of work.  This means that a lot of ideas are put on the backburner.  However, I eventually get back to them and use them as is or develop them a bit further.  I used to not sketch out every idea, which was a big mistake because I know from experience that what may have seemed like a stupid concept at the time is actually a great idea.

Never throw out your sketches.  Maybe that’s the packrat in me talking, but some of my best paintings are from ideas that I almost abandoned.  Maybe they are not meant to be used at that time and will be appropriate later.  Or maybe you just need some space so that when you return to those ideas, you can work on them with a clear head.  Sometimes I have the idea, but I try working it out in different ways (all pointing in the same direction, just a different handling) so that I have several variations to choose from. 

So I think that answers the question.  If you have any others, please feel free to share them with me.  Even if it’s just to ask who’s Kajagoogoo.

I Want My MTV

Copyright Amy Guidry 2008Be sure to tune in to the Real World Hollywood (Season 20- yes, it’s on now).  Not that I’m a reality tv buff, but I want you to watch and look for my painting on the wall in their house, er, set.  (They live on a movie set this season…hey, it’s Hollywood.)  I’ve only seen a few snippits online, but I’ve already spotted my painting many times.  It’s fun to look for it.  You should try it.  It’s kind of like Where’s Waldo, except without the striped shirt.  (Try guy in a canoe in the middle of the ocean wearing a blue dress shirt.) 

It’s right outside their “telephone room” which has a window, so sometimes you can even see it from in there.  And apparently the bathroom is across from there because I’ve also seen it in the reflection of the mirror.  And if you go to their “dailies” week 2, check out the clip of Dave shaving because my painting is in the background.  That’s if you notice it after noticing Dave has no clothes on…

\So maybe if you would like to spare yourself the drama on that show, you could just mute it and see how many times you spot my painting.  The painting is titled “United Isolation” and you can see a detailed view of it on my website www.AmyGuidry.com.  For the record, there was another painting they wanted- “Complacent”- but that was already in an exhibit at the Alexandria Museum of Art during filming.