Hi-Fructose: "The Great West Coast Migration" PangeaSeed Benefit Art Tour feature
More good press this week- I had a nice surprise this morning when I discovered my painting for “The Great West Coast Migration” traveling exhibit is featured on Hi-Fructose. Over 100 artists have come together to support PangeaSeed’s conservation and preservation efforts for sharks and oceans in Japan and beyond. The exhibit will travel to galleries along the West Coast starting this Friday (the 13th- eek!) at Roq la Rue in Seattle. For the tour schedule and to check out some of the featured works (including my own!) visit this direct link: http://hifructose.com/2012/07/04/the-great-west-coast-migration-pangeaseed-benefit-art-tour/.
“One” by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 6″x 6″; SOLD; (c) Amy Guidry 2012
Finally finished! I’ve just completed my painting for The Great West Coast Migration traveling exhibition. The title is One and it is an acrylic on canvas, 6″ x 6.” The exhibition is organized by PangeaSeed and will benefit sharks and oceans in Japan and abroad. Given that so many sharks are killed for their fins (a delicacy in Japan and China), this cause was of particular interest to me not only as an artist but as a vegan as well. People often think of sharks as vicious predators, (thanks, Media!) when in fact, they do not seek out humans and only a small percentage of shark attacks occur each year. I wanted to focus on them as being part of this world and just as significant as the rest of us. I combined the human faces with the shark body to illustrate them as one, or equals. The shark body floats in the air, in keeping with many of my other paintings, but also mimicking the hunted, hanging sharks I so often see. Such a simple title- One– and such a simple concept, yet we still struggle to see our planet as something to share rather than dominate.
The exhibition will begin this summer at the following galleries:
Seattle – Roq la Rue Gallery- July 13-15
Portland – Grass Hut Co.- July 20-22
San Francisco – Spoke Art Gallery- July 27-28
Los Angeles – LeBasse Project- August 2-4
Costa Mesa – The Artery- August 10-12
San Diego – Space 4 Art- August 17-19
Design by PangeaSeed Creative Director - Aaron Glasson (Rah Akaishi)
I have recently been invited to participate in The Great West Coast Migration, a touring art exhibition, organized by PangeaSeed in an effort to benefit sharks and oceans in Japan and beyond. According to PangeaSeed, “We are very excited to showcase a robust fund-raising art collection featuring works contributed by more than 100 internationally renowned artists, graphic designers, filmmakers and photographers. Almost all of our globally-based artist friends will be premiering their works for the first time ever in the United States. Also a percentage of the proceeds from the summer exhibitions will also help in aiding the startup of PangeaSeed’s inaugural west coast chapter whose mission and efforts will help further fundraising to keep sharks afloat on the west coast and around the world.”
The exhibition tour will take place at the following:
Seattle – Roq la Rue Gallery- July 13-15
Portland – Grass Hut Co.- July 20-22
San Francisco – Spoke Art Gallery- July 27-28
Los Angeles – LeBasse Project- August 2-4
Costa Mesa – The Artery- August 10-12
San Diego – Space 4 Art- August 17-19
Participating artists include: Dave Kinsey, Mike Stilkey, Brad Klausen, Yoram Benz, Skinner, Gale Hart, Shark Toof, Bwana Spoons, Craig Tapecat McCudden, Bigfoot, Danny Miller, Rah Akaishi, Justin Lovato, Lindsey Carr, Serge Gay Jr., Brett Amory, Robert Bowen, Ryan Maguire, MCA, Mario Wagner, John Fellows, Ronzo, Sylvia Ji, Toshikazu Nozaka, Michael Alm, Lindsey Way, Remo Camerota, Cometdebris (Koji Harmon), Gargamel, Blunt Graffix (Matt Dye), Samuel Rodriguez, Aaron De La Cruz, Ben Tour, Linnea Strid, Crajes, Becky and Louise, Max Dalton, Olek, Caitlin Hackett, Derek Nobbs, Jeni Yang, Scott Belcastro, Yoh Nagao, Joshua Petker, Flick Ford, Lisa Congdon, Josie Morway, Luciano Scherer, Scott Hove, Tati Suarez, Tugboat Printers, Victor Castillo, Peap Tarr, Meg Adamson, SHERYO, Aidan Monahan, The Yok, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Cinzah Merkins, Nao Harada, Sage Vaughn, Adam Wallacavage, Erik Otto, Mr. Jango, P Williams, Morgan Slade, Jasper Wong, Flavien Demarigny, Laura Ball, Courtney Mattison, La Pandilla, Sam Rulz, Casey Grey, Greg Simkins, Jim Phillips, Nathan Spoor, Kid Creature, Ransom and Mitchell, Cupco (Luke Temby), Kelly Allen, Sean Tuttle, Amy Guidry, Kozyndan, Rhys Cooper, John Stuart Berger, Bruce Gossett, Sandra Cappelletti, Michael King, Carbon, Kim Scott, Ashley Suzanne Taylor, Mika Tenekoon, Pascal Lecocq, APAK, Asher Jay, Trip Airways, Kaoru Sakai, Jim Mazza, Winnie McDonald, Rob Mack, Jeremy Pruitt, Rick Rietveld, Ben Brough, Caspian de Looze, Nathan Paul Gibbs, Thaddeus Strode, Paul Kaiju, Le Merde, Vexta, Kool Kid Kreyola, Foerdl Scheichenost
I’ll be posting my finished piece for the exhibit here (and the links below) so be on the lookout.
I get asked to donate my artwork fairly often. And this topic has been broached with me before in the art marketing class that I have conducted. So I thought it might be helpful to offer some insight into donations. First, you won’t be able to do them all- and please don’t feel bad about it. I get letters and emails requesting my work, sometimes several in one month. If I donated to all of them, I’d be out of paintings. And a girl’s gotta eat, so I have to have something left to sell. Next, you should decide who you’d like to help. Some charities hold the same art auction every year, so if it’s one that you would like to help on a continual basis, you can go ahead and plan on that and mark your calendar for it in the upcoming year(s). Or, you may like to alternate who you help and plan on donating to a different charity next go round just to even out the playing field a bit.
When deciding on who you would like to donate to, there are a few things to take into consideration. What does your donation do for this charity, organization, etc.? What will you be supporting? Does this follow your personal beliefs? What type of venue will hold the event? Who are the other participating artists? Would you be honored to have your work seen in such an event and amongst the other artists’ work? What kind of publicity will you gain from this experience? Will your donation conflict with another obligation, be it an exhibit, juried show, etc.?
I know this is a lot to consider and may even sound selfish, but the truth is, there’s much more to consider when donating your art than just simply writing a check to support a cause. This is about more than just money because it also involves time and labor- lots of it. You’re an artist, you know that it wasn’t easy to create this piece you’re about to give away. It took time, supplies, energy, creativity, willpower, and probably involved a personal sacrifice ranging anywhere from sleep to your family. So yes, you should consider what you get out of this. And if you decide that you can’t part with your work for whatever reason, but would truly like to help, simply write a check for this organization, charity, etc. You’ll directly help them without feeling guilty. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with just stating the truth- “I’d love to help, but I have [fill in other obligation here] and won’t be able to. But please add me to your mailing list, I’d love to donate next year.”
Thoughts? Questions? Let me know, either here or at www.AmyGuidry.com!
"Anti-Aging" by Amy Guidry; Copyright Amy Guidry 2009
I received a call the other day from an artist and gallery owner in Maryland interested in my work. I was familiar with Jill Hackney’s work and knew that she had recently opened a gallery there, so I was thrilled that she called me. Too bad I had the flu at the time, but I was surely as excited as one can be when they are lying on their deathbed. Anyway, in addition to showing at Jill’s gallery, R. Coury Fine Art Gallery, she also asked that I participate in two exhibitions. One is in conjunction with Pinkapalooza, a benefit for the Blossoms of Hope Foundation. The other is for GreenScape, a benefit for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
"Special Ingredients" by Amy Guidry; Copyright Amy Guidry 2009
“Anti-Aging” will be featured in the “Hope” exhibit at R. Coury Fine Art Gallery as part of Pinkapalooza. I chose that piece because aside from having a lot of pinks and pastel colors in it, it’s also a piece about female beauty at any age. “Special Ingredients” is the painting I chose for the GreenScape exhibit which will be held at the Cotton Shed Gallery at the Savage Mill in Savage, MD. I felt this piece was appropriate for a green-themed exhibit given the rainforest destruction that occurs thanks to the fast food industry and beef industry in general. Plus there’s nothing ‘natural’ about fast food since it’s pumped full of trans fats, hormones, antibiotics, and a whole plethora of unknown substances.
So if you are in the area, go to R. Coury Fine Art Gallery for the Pinkapalooza benefit starting April 1st and open through May 15th with an auction and closing reception. The GreenScape exhibit will be April 13th and run through May 3rd with an auction and closing reception. If you’d like to learn more about these events, visit www.SavageMill.com. And if you’d like to view a larger image of these paintings, visit my website www.AmyGuidry.com.
"Evangeline Maid" by Troy Dugas; Copyright Troy Dugas 2009
Yes, I’m bragging. Not often that I get to do that. I (will officially) own a piece by my friend, Troy Dugas, as of March 11th. It’s currently on display at Gallery 912 in Lafayette, LA, but after that it’s MINE… muahhahahaha (that’s my evil laugh, by the way). As luck would have it, I was dropping off my piece for the Art of Re-Use exhibit when Troy happened to show just as I was leaving. So I had to see what he brought knowing I’d want first dibs, er, I mean, knowing that I’d want to purchase a piece to support the Children’s Museum of Acadiana. When I saw it, I knew I had to have it. Not that I’m a big fan of Evangeline Maid bread (I only eat 100% whole wheat, not that processed stuff) but given the fact that I love intricate patterns, bright colors, and hell, that bread company is a Louisiana company, I knew I should buy it.
I don’t even have it here with me, so I can only hazard to guess at it’s size, but if photographic memory serves, I’d say it’s 16″ x 20.” If I’m right, you can be sure I will gloat about this in a later post. The entire piece is made up of cut-up squares of Evangeline Maid labels that are rearranged into the lovely pattern you see here. It’s then magically attached to wood- I don’t know all his secrets. Anyway, you can see more of Troy’s work on his website www.TroyDugas.com (you may have, or should have already done this if you check out my blogroll- these are important links, why else would I post them?!) And if you’re in New Orleans this month, you can see his work at Arthur Roger Gallery through the 28th. So get to steppin’!
Amy Guidry and Deborah Norsworthy at the Heymann Ceiling Tile Project and Exhibition
Everyone is all about the Green Movement these days. I’ve been all for it for over 20 years now (yes, hard to believe, right?), and now it’s gained more popularity than ever. So perhaps that is why recycled art materials are gaining popularity? Or maybe people just think it looks cool. Either way, you can show your support (ostensibly for the Green Movement) by attending the Art of Re-Use exhibition at Gallery 912. The opening reception is tonight (oops, so much for advanced notice) from 6-9pm at Gallery 912 in the Oil Center in Lafayette, LA.
All sales from the exhibit are to benefit the Children’s Museum of Acadiana. The exhibit will later be on display in June at the Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA). Last year’s benefit was also a re-use of sorts because invited artists were given a 100-year old ceiling tile to rework. The photo to the left is actually from that exhibit. The woman featured with me is Deborah Norsworthy, the curator and exhibit planner for the Children’s Museum of Acadiana.
Sadly, I do not have a photo of my piece. I completely forgot to take a photo of it. I can tell you that I painted on a wooden ceiling fan blade. It features the Stag from my New Realm series. If no one knew any better, they might just think I had a long, narrow piece of wood to paint on and cut a neat shape out of the end of it. Hee hee.
So if you’re looking to check out an exhibit, stop by Gallery 912 sometime soon. And even if you can’t make it, you can still see my work at www.AmyGuidry.com.
