Amy Guidry

My painting series "In Our Veins" explores our connection to nature and the connection between all life forms. Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, this series uses dream language to convey the connection of life. Inspired by Surrealism, fantasy, and mythology, I use symbolism to comment on ecology, animal welfare, and our relationship to nature.

Interview with Amy Guidry

 Hi Amy! Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you became interested in becoming an artist? Who or what were some of your most important early influences?
I come from a family of artists so I've been drawing since a very young age. I loved to draw animals and spent a lot of time in the woods next to my house while they were still in existence. As a child, I knew I wanted to draw forever, I just didn't understand what an art career entailed so I thought you automatically had your art in a museum if you were an adult. My interest in Surrealism started early on. I remember seeing Magritte's "The Castle of the Pyrenees" in a book somewhere and was blown away. I'd also seen some of Dali's work- I know one had to be "The Persistence of Memory." They were intriguing works that stayed with me and eventually influenced my own art.

Where are you currently based and what initially attracted you to working in this place? Are there any aspects of this specific location or community that have inspired aspects of your work?
I'm currently based in Lafayette, Louisiana. I was initially in a relationship that brought me here after I graduated from Loyola University New Orleans. My plan was to do graphic design, and I was struck by how friendly Lafayette is, so I figured why not. The relationship ended and I ended up having a career as a jewelry designer, so I stayed. 11 years later I left that job to be a painter full-time.

There are some local themes regarding ecology and wildlife that can be found in some of my work. Given that these are worldwide issues though, most of my work acknowledges that on more of a global scale.

Can you describe your studio space? What are some of the most crucial aspects of a studio that make it functional? Do any of these specific aspects directly affect your work?
I have a studio at my house which consists of an easel, a large table for drawing which at the moment is full of books and paints, and an art cart full of supplies. I also have two bookcases full of art and wildlife books. I'd say some of the most crucial aspects for functionality are lighting, ventilation, temperature control, space, and no distractions. All of which directly affect my work in regards to productivity, which is why I chose my studio space before settling into my house. It also had the best natural light to take advantage of in addition to artificial lighting.

What are you working on in the studio right now?
I'm currently working on new paintings for my show opening in January next year at LeMieux Galleries in New Orleans. They're a continuation of my present series. That's about all I can share for now.

What are the primary themes of your work right now?
My current series "In Our Veins" explores our connection to nature. Some themes include ecology, animal welfare, conservation, connection, and symbiosis.

What is on your mind a lot recently?
Oof, given everything going on in the world today, it would be a lot easier to just list what isn't on my mind. In general I think about my role in the world as an artist and how I can have an impact, no matter how small, and how to do so in a way that is heard, not ignored, and influences without making others defensive.

What is a typical day like? If you don't have a typical day, what is an ideal day?
A typical day for me starts with PT because I'm disabled due to a hypermobile connective tissue disorder. After that I immediately head to my studio to work at my easel for as long as my body will let me.  I make a lot of small works, so when I have to lie down, I work on those in bed. If it's the same piece that's on my easel, then I can continue to work on that one otherwise it's an entirely different piece. I spend the entire day alternating between working at my easel or my bed. Because I have to constantly take breaks, I tend to work late and make the most of short moments before I have to do other things like cook dinner or feed my cat.

What gets you in a mindset conducive to making work?
Music, art books, movies, or even just going through old pages in my sketchbook of ideas that never made it to canvas.

What criteria do you follow for selecting materials? How long have you worked with this particular media or method?
I use the best quality materials I can afford and am very conservative with usage so I'm not wasting anything.  My materials are also vegan and animal-friendly.  I've been vegan for almost 27 years, so this has been my practice for awhile.  I paint with acrylic and I don't use any toxic mediums or thinners.  My brushes are all synthetic (not animal hair), and even my packing materials are reused and/or recycled.

Can you walk us through your overall process? How long has this approach been a part of your practice?
All of my paintings begin as a thumbnail sketch, just to get the basic idea down.  Sometimes I have an image in mind, other times it may be a concept that I'd really like to cover through my work.  Either way, I do tons of thumbnail sketches, which may just be slight variations from one to the next or they can be wildly different.  I go through this process so I can flesh out an idea until I feel like I have "the one."  I save all of these sketches because I've actually created subsequent paintings from ideas that I didn't feel strongly about at the time.  Just looking at them with fresh eyes can lead to something new.  This has been my creative process since college.

Can you talk about some of the ongoing interests, imagery, and concepts that have informed your process and body of work over time? How do you anticipate your work progressing in the future?
As previously mentioned, Surrealism has been a big influence for me.  I've also had an interest in animals and the environment since childhood.  This eventually led me to going vegan.  Despite the fact that animals and the natural world were often present in my work, I felt the need to up the ante.  I wanted to challenge myself both technically and conceptually.  My paintings were becoming progressively more surreal, lending themselves to dreamlike backgrounds and unusual imagery.  Surrealism allows me to delve into environmental issues and animal welfare issues, creating strange worlds that reflect the current state of our planet.  What seems illogical can come to life through a painting.  Though in many ways, I feel like what I paint is a mirror-image of our reality. 

Do you pursue any collaborations, projects, or careers in addition to your studio practice? If so, can you tell us more about those projects, and are there connections between your studio practice and these endeavors?
I haven't pursued any other projects outside my own practice since I have enough on my plate as it is, but perhaps in the future I'd be able to do some if the project is of interest.

Can you share some of your recent influences? Are there specific works—from visual art, literature, film, or music—that are important to you?
My recent influences require a bit of background. When my chronic illness was misdiagnosed and mistreated to the point of disabling me, this was just before Covid hit. I was bedridden, in excruciating pain, and no professional knew what was wrong. When I was able to, I would sketch in bed but my work had become angry and cynical. I was also bored out of my mind being bedridden during a pandemic of all things, and even reading gets old after awhile. This is not the erudite response you'd expect, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit, but it was watching Disney movies such as Fantasia and Alice in Wonderland that made me switch gears and get back to my roots. I focused on creating my own world since I couldn't even leave my bed, and channeled the mixture of emotions I was dealing with through what made me happy: nature and Surrealism. There are elements of fear and doubt as well as hope, but overall I wanted to create something that lifted my spirits, made me dream, but also left some things unanswered.

 Contemporary artists I'm excited about are Lola Gil, Wangechi Mutu, Kiki Smith, Kara Walker, Lucian Freud (contemporary, though not living), just to name a few.

Who are some contemporary artists you’re excited about? What are the best exhibitions you’ve seen in recent memory and why do they stand out?
Well I can only see it online, but I'd say Sasha Gordon's show at David Zwirner. Her handling of the figure, attention to detail, and exploration of the human psyche make this show stand out.

Do you have any tips or advice that someone has shared with you that you have found particularly helpful?
Actually, there is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that I keep on a well-worn Post-it note on my easel.  It says: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”  I look at it every day just to feel inspired while I work.

What’s coming up next for you?
I have a solo show coming up at LeMieux Galleries in New Orleans opening January 3rd. It will be up through February 21st.

Anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for having me. It's an honor to be featured.

Thank you for sharing your work and talking with us!

The find out more about Amy and her work check our her website.