Amy Guidry is an American artist born in 1976 in Louisiana. Grown up in the suburbs of New Orleans, she attended Loyola University where she received her Bachelors degree in Visual Arts.
Her artworks, pending between a realism which is almost photographic and a pure transparent surrealism, are present in private and public collections including the Zigler Art Museum, the Alexandria Museum of Art, the Schepis Museum, and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
The Great West Coast Migration, a traveling exhibition organised by PangeaSeed to benefit sharks in Japan and beyond invited the artist to participate with her works. The exhibition will take place at Roq la Rue Gallery in Seattle starting July 13th. Amy Guidry will then continue the tour to Grass Hut Co. in Portland, July 20-22; Spoke Art Gallery in San Francisco, July 27-28; LeBasse Projects in Los Angeles, August 2-4; The Artery in Costa Mesa, August 10-12; and Space 4 Art in San Diego, August 17-19.
– Would you explain the difference between the American audience and the European audience in this moment in history, from your personal experience?
I don’t really see a difference. As for art in general, I find the internet has exposed people to so much more and has probably bridged some gaps as a result. We are visual creatures and social media sites, Tumblr, Flickr, and YouTube have all served as great platforms to get art out in front of a large audience, the world over.
– Do you see yourself where you wanted to be in your teenage dreams, or there is more you would like to achieve from your career as an artist?
Actually my dreams have changed a bit since I was a teenager. Back then I was into graphic design and even considered moving into animation. After college, I had an opportunity to work as a jewelry designer, which I did for over ten years. Working in a corporate environment as well as working directly with clients on design projects gave me a lot of insight into business and was good experience for once I started my painting career.
Since embarking on my career as a painter, I have accomplished much more than I realised at the time, but there is so much more I would like to do. I’m continually revising my goals and looking for new opportunities, but I am always looking for ways to improve or challenge myself when it comes to my work, whether technically or conceptually. That will continue to be my goal no matter what.
– How does the use of animals and their symbols helps you to communicate your stories to the viewer?
One of the themes explored in the In Our Veins series is animal welfare. It’s an important issue for me on a personal level, but I also feel that it is a significant part of the future of our environment. They go hand-in-hand. In Our Veins explores the connections between all life forms and the process of the life cycle. This includes the interdependence of the human race to each other and to the rest of the animal kingdom, as well as the planet itself. One cannot exist without the other, therefore it is of the utmost importance that we care for each and every living thing.
One of the trademarks seen throughout the series is my depiction of animals. I wanted to emphasize their importance and do away with the notion that animals are less than humans. So each animal- be it mammal, bird, etc.- has been endowed with something we consider a “human” quality.
Humans tend to see animals as a means to an end. Animals are only seen as pieces and parts- head, rump, breast, wing, and so on. They are no longer sentient beings but things we eat or wear or put on our walls.
Butterflies and moths are another repeated symbol throughout the series. I view them as a metaphor for life- beautiful, fragile, and only on this earth for a brief period of time.
Edited by Matilde Casaglia
Artworks by Amy Guidry – amyguidry.com
