I recently attended the opening reception for Rivers at Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, TX. My painting “Synergy” is featured in the group exhibition as well as many other works by the gallery’s represented artists. I’ve posted a few photos from the event, but you can view the entire album at www.AmyGuidry.com/events.html.
The group exhibition at Gallery 549 featuring some of my latest paintings is coming down this week. I have a few photos to share from the opening reception and there are even more on my (newly redesigned!) website at this direct link- www.amyguidry.com/events.html (Go to the album at the top left). So now I am gearing up for my next show which will be in Austin at Wally Workman Gallery. More details on that closer to time. In the meantime, check out the photos!
Today marks the opening of “Insatiable: Our Rapacious Appetite for More” at the Kniznick Gallery located in the Women’s Studies Research Center of Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. I’m excited to be a part of this show as well as showing at such a prestigious university. The opening will be next month, but the exhibition is up as of today. Sometimes it’s nice just to go to a show before the opening (i.e. crowds) to get a good look at the work. This is actually a juried exhibition which was curated by Judy Haberl, Professor of Sculpture at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The show takes a look at consumerism in all forms- money, food, sex, power, etc. and the effects of such on our planet and its inhabitants. The exhibit is open now through March 15th, with the opening reception taking place on February 3, 2011 from 5-7:30pm.
And here is a list of participating artists: Edie Bresler, Donna Catanzaro, Marie Picard Craig, Marli Diestel, Anthony Fisher, Virginia Fitzgerald, Karen Frostig, Katerie Gladdys, Justin Goodall, Amy Guidry, Hope Hardesty, Max Heller, Rachael Jablo, Lauren Kalman, Sam Keller, Minsung Keyoung, Kirstin Lamb, Anne Lambert, Yvonne Love & Gabrielle Russomagno, So Yoon Lym, Leslie Macklin, Monika Malewska, Elizabeth Michelman, Mitzi Lynn Mize, Morrix, Nancy Morrow, Kathleen O’Hara, Anne Percoco, Rachel Bee Porter, Nina Prader, Gina Randazzo, Kayla Risko, Andrea Rosenthal, Alison Safford, Rosalie Ripaldi Shane, Kirsten Rae Simonsen, Gulin Sungur, Douglas Tausik,Dylan Vitone, Callie Wile, and April Wood
My painting, “The United States of Consumerism,” as seen above, will be part of the exhibition. For more of my recent work, please visit www.AmyGuidry.com.
I happen to have two shows going on this week, well opening that is. As you may recall, my work was selected for the MYSELF exhibition at the Sheppard Fine Art Gallery of the University of Nevada, Reno. I posted about this months ago, but the time has come and the opening will be taking place this Thursday, January 20th. The reception will take place from 5:30-8pm, with a panel discussion including some of the participating artists during the first hour. The exhibition officially opens today and will remain up through February 18th. The photo on the left is of the cover of the exhibition catalogue, which includes essays by Joy Garnett and Mira Schor.
The second opening is for the 26th Annual International Exhibition taking place at the Meadows Gallery of the University of Texas at Tyler. The opening reception is taking place this evening (!!) so if you are in the Texas area, be sure to stop by. The reception will be held from 6-7:30pm, with the exhibit remaining up through March 4th. The juror for the exhibit is renowned artist Cotter Luppi.
If you would like a concise list of my upcoming exhibits as well as goings-on in my career, be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.amyguidry.com/contact.html.
I nearly forgot to post photos for the exhibition I have going on right now… the opening reception was in November, but the exhibit is currently open through December 30th. (So there’s still time to see it even if you are stuck in a shopping mall somewhere until the 25th.) I have a few photos to share from opening night for “Like a Prayer: Reflections on the 21st C Feminine” at Barrister’s Gallery in New Orleans, LA. More photos are on my website under Events- www.AmyGuidry.com. The show was curated by Martina Batan, Director of Ronald Feldman Fine Art, New York. There was a great crowd and in conjunction with the St. Claude Arts District (SCAD) 2nd Saturday Artwalk, the Multispecies Salon 3 was also open. Very busy night! If you missed out, you can still see “Like a Prayer” at Barrister’s, now through Dec. 30th.
It’s a little early, considering this will take place next year, but I’m very happy to announce that my work will be in the “Myself” exhibition at the University of Nevada, Reno. The exhibit will take place in the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery and is curated by gallery director, Marjorie Vecchio. There will also be an exhibition catalogue featuring essays by Joy Garnett and Mira Schor.
This will be the second time my work has been shown in Nevada. I came across the call for artists through Ms. Garnett’s blog and was excited to see that she would be contributing to the catalogue. I am honored to be one of the selected artists. Here is the official list: Funda Zeynep Ayguler, Marie Bergstedt, Megan Berner, Emma Bee Bernstein, Chris Carnel, Jean Marie Casbarian, Craig Cully, Megan Cump, Joe Delappe, Michael Eade, Peter Emerick, Joy Episilla, Elise Gardella, Alex Gingrow, Jen Graham, Cynthia Greig, Amy Guidry, Jen Harris, Rosi Hayes, Ahren Hertel, Amiee Hertog, Nene Humphrey, Suzanne Joelson, Josh Jordan, Jiyeaon Kim, Eunkang Koh, Kate Kretz, Larry Lee, Julie Leguin, Elizabeth Leister, Teryn Loebs, Holly Lynton, Megan Malone, Valerie Margolis, Lilly McElroy, Alan Mevis, Rob Millard-Mendez, Elizabeth Morisette, John Orth, Kathryn Pannepacker, Maria Paschalidou, Sarah Peters, Zoran Poposki, Robert Pritchard, Clifford Pun, Letitia Quesenberry, Carol Radsprecher, Erin Riley, Page Adriana Russell, Susannah Sayler, Matthew Schlagbaum, Tim Sharman, Jackie Skrzynski, John Steck Jr., Joshua Stern, Robin Tewes, Kristine Thompson, Clare Thorton, Mickayel Thurin, Christina Renfer Vogel, Deborah Wasserman, Jessica Watson, Orion Wertz, and Tammy Wofsey.
The exhibit will take place at the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery of the University of Nevada, Reno from January 18th through February 18th. There will be an opening lecture and reception on January 20, 2011.
No one cares about your art more than you do. It’s true. It’s not unlike showing your vacation photos to everyone. They mean well, but after about two minutes, the enthusiasm wears off and their eyes glaze over. I was inspired to write this after going through some old art magazines to clear out the mountain of periodicals I’ve saved. I came across a rather disheartening article in a very popular magazine. The author was giving advice on how to be a successful artist. Some of the author’s tips? Paint what sells- not more “complex” paintings, don’t bother showing in libraries or university galleries since they don’t generate sales (museums usually don’t either, but I don’t know an artist alive that wouldn’t jump at the chance to show in a museum), and sell on Ebay- specifically bright, colorful, quick paintings- no drawings. I know better than this and even I found it depressing! I can only imagine what other artists must think.
So this is what leads me to my frustration. I don’t care who they are or if they mean well, no one truly cares about your art or your art career as much as you do. This is why you are the only one that can determine what your goals are and if, at the end of the day, you’ve done all that you can to achieve those goals. Don’t listen to the naysayers, the haters, the critics, the cynics, or the non-believers. What do they know anyway? Even some of the experts can’t always predict what you, personally, need to do. That’s why it’s up to you to take in all this information and filter through it and find what is applicable and toss away what’s not. You know what you need to do. You know if your work is the best it can be. You know what you should create. If you try to “paint what sells,” you’ll be chasing your tail for quite some time. Popularity changes as do marketing trends. Something that sells one day, won’t the next. That’s why there are trend analysts that make a living at this. Great work is great work and it will attract its own popularity. And while I’m at it- if you were to avoid university galleries, libraries, museums, or any other venue for fear of little to no sales, you wouldn’t be an artist, would you? I couldn’t imagine not having the experience of seeing art, especially when I was a student, at a university gallery or museum. Some of the most significant shows of our time come from these venues.
In my own personal experience, I’ve heard it all. I’ve been told what I should paint, how I should paint, and I’ve even had a drunk non-artist tell me what is and isn’t art. When I made the decision to paint and to try to get into a gallery exhibit, even one of my “good” friends told me that I couldn’t do it. It’s a good thing I didn’t listen to any of these people, otherwise I may not have even been an artist at all. Anyone listening to that kind of advice would quit before even starting. Don’t make that mistake. If you’re already a working artist, just keep on trucking. If you’re just starting out, stay focused and put your blinders on. And maybe invest in some good ear plugs.
Being a true artist takes grit. There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, and you’ll need to develop a thick skin. However, I can’t imagine a more rewarding experience. I always like to think of these words by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
If you’d like to learn more about my own work and what I’ve been up to, check out my website at www.AmyGuidry.com.
One of my most recent works has found a new home already. My painting, “Untitled (Heads),” sold while at Wally Workman Gallery’s 30th Anniversary exhibit in Austin. The show is still up, so if you’ve missed it (or would like to go again!) there is still time to see it. The exhibit ends September 4th and gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5. I should also mention that two more of my recent works are also in this exhibit- “The Wild West” and “Survival of the Fittest.” So if you’re in the area, be sure to get a look at these in person since photos can never do the art justice. For more information, visit www.WallyWorkmanGallery.com. And if you would like to see my entire portfolio, visit www.AmyGuidry.com.
Yes, I know that titling this “Homecoming” conjures up thoughts of football and brightly colored taffeta. However, that’s not the type of homecoming I’m referring to. I’m exhibiting in the “Where Are They Now” exhibit at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall in Slidell, Louisiana. I was a student in the Talented Art Program during my junior high and high school days in St. Tammany Parish, so as an arts professional, I have been invited back to take part of their exhibit. The Times Picayune recently posted an article about the show, featuring one of my paintings- the direct link – www.nola.com. (Though it was too late to correct this for the papers, my work was featured on MTV’s Real World: Hollywood, not New Orleans.) Opening night will be this Friday- August 27th from 7-9pm. The exhibit will remain up through September 25th at City Hall.
I also found out that the Slidell Commission on the Arts has selected my work to be featured in a solo exhibition in the 2011-2012 cultural season. The exhibit will take place at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall. I’ll be sure to post more details closer to time. More information regarding shows can be found at www.AmyGuidry.com. You can also sign up for my newsletter on the Contact page of my site.
First, check out galleries that you think may like your work. You should never just blindly send out your portfolio, resume, what have you to a gallery without determining if they’re the right fit. And this should go without saying, but be sure that they are a gallery! Attend openings, meet curators, dealers, gallery owners and directors. If you can’t physically make it to a gallery, at the very least, you should check out their space online. Get to know the artists that they show. Can you see your work fitting in with a group exhibit of these artists?
Once you’ve determined which gallery or galleries you are interested in, you should prepare your presentation. These days, email is so common (sometimes it’s preferred) that I think it is okay to submit your work via email. However, if a gallery has a submissions policy, be sure to abide by that. If not, they’ll toss your work in the trash. If the submissions policy is not a clearly stated link on their website, try looking under the Contact Us page. If there is absolutely no information, contact the gallery for their guidelines.
Whether you submit your work via email or postal mail, be sure that your presentation is professional. First, get the name of the person you need to contact. Whether it’s the director, the curator, or the manager, find out their name. I know from personal experience, many just blindly send an email without even acknowledging my name. Why would I want to show their work (again, I’m not a gallery, but let’s pretend for a second) if they don’t even know who I am? So find out their name. Google it, ask someone, or contact the gallery itself- just find out!
The rest is easy. This is where you should put together your bio and/or resume, portfolio, and any other relevant information. You should have all of these at your fingertips already, but if not, now is the time to start. Make sure that all of your information and images are up to date. And be sure to spell check. It’s the little things that matter, so be sure to dot your i’s and cross your t’s.
If you send your information via email, be sure to use small image files. If you load down their inbox, they won’t be happy or they may not even receive your information at all. It could bounce or end up in a spam filter. So keep it small- 4MB total is best.
Sounds simple, and it really is if you keep everything up to date. Again, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. www.AmyGuidry.com