"Man in the Park" by Amy Guidry; SOLD; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008
My portrait work will be featured in an invitational exhibit called “The Many Faces of Portraiture” opening this month. The show will be held in Covington at the Art House on N. Columbia Street, which also serves at the St. Tammany Art Association Building. For those of you who don’t know, you may want to bring your scuba gear when heading over to Louisiana, thanks to Hurricane Gustav. (Actually, it wasn’t that bad, but right now we are still getting major thunderstorms and tornado warnings.) Anyway, the show must go on!
The opening will be September 13th (yes, I have a lot of openings revolving around this date- see previous posts) from 6-9pm at the Art House. There are some other artists in the show which you may recognize from the New Orleans/Northshore area. They include Katherine Buchanan, Adrian Deckbar, Alan Flattmann, Peggy Hesse, Bernard Klichman, Isoko Onodera, Lyn Taylor, Alexander Stolin, Elise Toups, and of course, me! (If you haven’t figured it out by now, or are new to this blog- welcome!- I’m Amy Guidry). The show is curated by Robin Hamaker of the Brunner Gallery in Covington.
If you are in the area, feel free to stop by and see what should be a fantastic exhibit. If not, you can certainly view my entire body of work online at www.AmyGuidry.com.
This 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.
"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.
"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.
"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!
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:
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.
"Adaptation" by Amy Guidry; From the New Realm series. Copyright Amy Guidry 2008
I’m really not a party person, although I’m learning to get over that if I plan on furthering my art career. So tomorrow evening, I’m putting on my party dress and marching on over to the Art Melt Preview Party. The show doesn’t open until Friday, July 11th, so you’re welcome to join us then. The Art Melt is held at the Brunner Gallery in the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge, LA. (Yes, our capital, for all you geography nerds.) The show is a mixed media exhibit juried by Sean Ulmer, curator of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Awards will be announced at the Preview Party.
The show consists of work by all Louisiana artists. Some are from my residence- Lafayette, most are from Baton Rouge, a couple from New Orleans, and a few from cities I’ve never heard of. (For the record, Acadiana consists of so many small cities that if you blink, you’ll miss them. Not to mention, I’m not originally from here, so cut me some slack.) I did have my own preview, minus the party, when I dropped off my painting, “Adaptation,” (it’s about time I mentioned the title) and observed some of the other works that were awaiting installation. There were some strong contenders there, I will say that. It would be nice to see more Lafayette artists in the show. This is the first time I have exhibited in the Art Melt, myself, so maybe it has yet to catch on over here.
So if you’re looking for a huge opening reception to attend, Friday night from 6:30 to 10, come to the Art Melt. And if you can’t see my work in person, you can always see it online at www.AmyGuidry.com.
"Choices" by Amy Guidry; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008
I received some great news today- I was selected for inclusion in the George E. Ohr National Arts Challenge at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art! Two of my paintings were chosen, “Choices,” and “Food or Pet? How Do You Decide?” The juror for the show is artist Ron Pokrasso. The show will run from September 19th through November 10th at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum in Biloxi, MS.
So who knows? Maybe my work will receive an award while it’s there. We won’t know until the awards ceremony at 7 pm on September 19th. I am hoping to attend the reception even though I will be at the opening of my New Realm exhibit in Vegas the week before. Whew. Yes, that’s a lot of traveling. But I’m up for it.
"Food or Pet? How Do You Decide?" by Amy Guidry; SOLD; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008
Check out more of my Beneath the Surface series at www.AmyGuidry.com While you are there, sign up for my monthly newsletter for updates on shows (there’s a lot more where this came from…) and invitations to shows in your area.
“Beginning” by Amy Guidry; From the New Realm series; SOLD; Copyright Amy Guidry 2008
For those of you who do not get my newsletter (Sign up at www.AmyGuidry.com), I thought I should mention my next solo exhibit. Yes, I have lots of shows coming up and in progress, actually, but this is the next solo. It will be in Las Vegas at the newly christened Henri & Odette. Originally the show was going to be at Jennifer Marie Gallery, but they are moving to a larger location and have changed their name in the process. The opening will be September 12th from 6-8pm. And yes, I will be there.
So if you’d like to take a trip out to Vegas, what better reason than to see my new show. And feel free to invite anyone you know in the area. I’ll be showing my New Realm series, so some of those you may have seen before, but there will also be new work in that series on display. And yes, I will have more of the smaller pieces that everyone loves because they’re so cute and collectible. Hee hee.
I’ll be posting more details about the show as they arise. Keep your eyes out for more information on shows in my newsletters.
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.
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