Leaving Las Vegas

"Wisdom" by Amy Guidry; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008.

Well, not quite. But it will be soon. My solo exhibition at Henri & Odette in Las Vegas, NV will be ending on October 22nd. This means you have about a week to get your booty over there if you haven’t already. If you’ve ever wondered what my work looks like in person, this is your opportunity. I can’t stress enough how the web, despite its greatness, just doesn’t do artwork justice. Not mine, not anybody’s. Just as thumbing through an art history book is not the same as going to an art museum, neither is perusing the internet. You can stare at those pixels all you want, it’s just not the same. And there’s no gallery ambience to go with it, either.

You can view my show, New Realm, at Henri & Odette. It’s located on Carson Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and Sixth Street. In Las Vegas, of course. And if you’d like to see more of my work, go to www.AmyGuidry.com. While you’re there, you should sign up for my newsletter (see contact page) to get the latest details on my upcoming shows, new work, etc.

Night at the Museum

Signing autographs- Amy Guidry with Troy Dugas at the AcA

No, I’m not referring to any movies… I have a solo exhibit coming up next year. This is the first ground-breaking news regarding this exhibit, so consider yourself special. My New Realm series will make its way to the Schepis Museum in Columbia, Louisiana in 2009. I don’t have all the details just yet, but the show is slated for March and April of 2009. So, yes, this will be a two-month exhibit as opposed to the usual month long ones of most places.

Guaranteed there will be new work and some you may already be familiar with in the show. If you don’t know by now, you can view my work on my website at www.AmyGuidry.com. As for the opening reception and show dates, I will have those details at a later date. Until then, I recommend you A) Sign up for my newsletter via the contact page of my website and B) Keep your eye out for details on this blog. And because I love getting mail (hint, hint), you can always email me, write me, or even call (!) for details regarding my upcoming shows, new work, etc. You know where to reach me- go to my contact page at www.AmyGuidry.com.

Read All About It!

Amy Guidry with Troy Broussard of the Zigler Art MuseumWell, I received a copy a little late, but my New Realm series received mention in Art Business News magazine.  The August issue featured photos and a blurb about my work featured at the Zigler Art Museum in Jennings, LA.  The show has come and gone, but it’s nice to know it’s still getting some exposure.  One of the photos features me with Troy Broussard, PR rep for the museum.  The painting featured is “Release.”  The other published photo is an installation shot of my work in the museum.

To see more of my work, in addition to the entire New Realm series, go to my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.   

Ameri-Dreaming: Art and American Culture

"Complacent" by Amy Guidry (SOLD)- featured on the "Ameri-Dreaming: Art and American Culture" invitation

I was recently selected to show my work in an upcoming exhibit, “Ameri-Dreaming: Art and American Culture.” I was thrilled because aside from being another opportunity to get my work out in the public eye, this is also a chance to show my social commentary paintings. Three works will be in the show at the Claypool-Young Art Gallery, which is a university art gallery at Morehead State University in Morehead, KY.

These are some of my favorite pieces, not just because of their content, but also aesthetically. My friend Scott is the model for “Complacent,” which is also the image used on the promo card for the show. (See image to the left.) Also included are “Special Ingredients,” and the ever-so-appropriate “The United States of Consumerism.” (Could there be better timing??)

If you are in Kentucky, or will be there soon, be sure to check out the show. The opening is October 8th from 6-8pm, and the exhibit will run through October 31st. Other artists in the show include Margarita Benitez, Steve Coy, Marianne Fourie, Shayne Hull, John Judge, Lisa Link, Joshu Lucas, Matthew Mosher, Michael Runnels, Halide Salam, Steve Snell, Sarah Sorg, Mangi Weir, and Dan Younger.

And if you want to see more of my work, check out my website at http://www.AmyGuidry.com

Another Studio Visit

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

Well, I must be on a roll- I received another acceptance letter for Studio Visit Magazine! This will be the third installment in the new publication, due out early 2009. And this will be the third (!) time I’ve been featured in it. Maybe this is some type of delayed karmic action taking place decades after always being picked last for everything in P.E. class. I don’t know…but I like it.

The juror is Michael Klein. Mr. Klein was the curator of the Microsoft Collection and is now an independent curator and private dealer, and he was the director of the International Sculpture Center.

Another plus to being in this magazine is the fact that they send it out to thousands of people- galleries, museums, collectors, etc. Anyone who’s anyone is on their mailing list. So it’s always nice to know that these people will be perusing the magazine. Unless, of course, they just stick it under an unbalanced table leg or line their hamster cage with it. Again, I hope not.

So if this has piqued your interest in my work, you can see more on my website. www.AmyGuidry.com. And be on the lookout for me in Studio Visit…

New Work, Upcoming Shows, Lecture

"Dreaming" by Amy Guidry; SOLD; From the New Realm 5 x 5 series. Copyright Amy Guidry 2008

Current Shows:

My New Realm solo exhibition opened September 13th at Henri & Odette (formerly Jennifer Marie Gallery) in Las Vegas, NV. The show has already received a great review in Las Vegas CityLife Magazine. The exhibition runs through October 22nd.

My work was recently selected for the juried competition, The Ohr National Challenge at The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, MS. The opening and awards announcements will be September 19th . The exhibit runs through November 10th.

Another exhibit that opened on September 13th is the Circus Show and Other Atrocities. I was invited among 100 artists across the US, Canada, and the UK to participate. My painting can be seen online at www.AmyGuidry.com. The show runs through October 11th at the Verge Gallery in Sacramento, CA.

Also open is the Many Faces of Portraiture invitational exhibition. The show opened September 13th at the Art House in Covington, LA and will run through September 30th. I was invited to show my portraits in addition to works by noted artists as Adrian Deckbar and Alan Flattmann.

Upcoming Shows:

I was asked to participate in “Twelve,” a group show of twelve artists represented by Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, TX. The show will open this coming December. More details to follow.

Opening October 8th is “Ameri-Dreaming: Art and American Culture. My work was selected for inclusion in the show, which will be exhibited at the Claypool-Young Art Gallery of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY. The show ends October 31st.

Teaching:

I will be teaching an upcoming course at Frederick L’ Ecole des Arts in Arnaudville, LA. “Art Marketing and Self-Promotion” will run from 10am- 12noon on September 27th. The course covers such topics as business relations, exhibitions, portfolio development, pricing, and much more. Registration is $30 and can be done at http://frederickarts.homestead.com/Registrationforms/GuidryAmyartmarketingregistrationform.html.

Publications:

As part of my recent attainment of representation by the Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, TX, my work will be featured in the upcoming edition of Art Galleries & Artists of the South Magazine.

My work has been selected for the fall edition of Studio Visit Magazine. 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.

A review of my work was recently published in Las Vegas CityLife Magazine. The article covers my New Realm exhibition in Las Vegas and was written by Jarret Keene. View the article at http://lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2008/09/15/ae/picks/doc48cea28ab8fdc438924737.txt.

The New Realm series also received mention in Art Business News. The magazine featured my works from my recent exhibit at the Zigler Art Museum in Jennings, LA. More details will be added to the website soon.

Tranquility

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

I wanted to share for those of you with bated breath (haha), my latest painting.  It’s titled…yes, you guessed it…”Tranquility.”  This is another large piece, 30 inches across and 40 inches high, from my New Realm series.  I had planned on finishing it sooner, but with two hurricanes coming through, my plans were thwarted a bit.  Probably an appropriate piece to be working on at that time since I could have used some tranquility myself, or a tranquilizer, whichever.  Anyway, here it is! 

One of the things I enjoyed about doing this painting were all the details.  Sounds crazy, but I am drawn to patterns.  All patterns.  Whether paisley or geometric, I have a penchant for them.  So you can imagine how delighted I was to paint the patterns on the butterflies.  In addition, the lace detailing on the blouse, which is a popular item in many paintings from this series, was also fun.  What I really love is how the patterns all play off each other.  The subject, the heroine of story, is as decorated as the butterfly wings are.

As a reminder, the remaining pieces from this series, or at least most of them, can be seen at my solo exhibition, New Realm, in Las Vegas.  The show is at Henri & Odette now through October 22nd.  And if you can’t make it to Vegas, you can view all of my work online at www.AmyGuidry.com

 

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

Comments and Discussion from artist Amy Guidry