Small... But Not Restricted

Tessa Guzé, Fearless, 12" x 16" 2013

The Galleries at Moore are currently having an exhibition of alumni work titled Small... but Not Restricted. The Galleries at Moore are located on the campus of Moore College of Art & Design in center city Philadelphia, PA. I submitted this small oil painting titled Fearless.

 

Photo of Small...But Not Restricted Annual Alumni Exhibition 2014

This is one of the first oil paintings I completed after the birth of my daughter. (Besides a children's book commission that was due a month after she was born and barely got finished in time!) It was of course inspired by her, though not a portrait. At six weeks her first bashful and cheeky smiles were already lighting up the room. However time to paint is still something I have to steal during her naps. 

I did the underdrawing for this while she was napping in my left arm, and I did the painting during a second 45 minute nap the next day. Having this kind of time pressure is definitely freeing up my painting and allowing me to be looser and more painterly! Here is a photo of the inspiration itself. 

THE INSPIRATION!

Four months later and still my greatest source of inspiration, don't think this is going to change any time soon.



To see more of my paintings please visit my portfolio website.

Art Elemento Cover

Tessa Guze, Art Elemento Cover, 2013

I provided a write up about my work for May's issue of Art Elemento an art and culture magazine based in Gwangju, South Korea. I'm so excited that they chose my piece to be featured on the cover.

I haven't seen May's full issue yet or the article about my work but hopefully I'll get my hands on a copy soon and share pictures.

Here's a photo of the original painting, which was featured in solo exhibition of my oil paintings last summer.

Tessa Guze, Thoughtful, oil on canvas, 2012

If you are interested in seeing more of my paintings and illustrations please visit my full painting portfolio on my website or my other painting blog.

Singing Camels

This is a painting I did for a (no name) Art Group exhibition celebrating Earth day.

Tessa Guzé, Camel, oil and charcoal on canvas, 8" x 12",  2013

The opening for this fundraiser will be held on Saturday, April 20th. From 12 PM to 8 PM at B Square Gallery in Philadelphia.

The beneficiary of our fundraiser is Charity: Water.

 It cost Charity: Water $20 to provide a person with water for life. This is the price of one of are water bottles with our choice of the artist pieces to insert into your new water bottle and have as the water bottle design. 

Tessa Guze, Water Bottle Mock Up, 

Charity: Water is an amazing charity. They are a non profit organization that provides clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries, places where other wise the people have to walk long distances to find dirty water or contaminated water. Charity: Water that puts 100% of donations directly towards their projects.

Tessa Guzé, Water, 12" x 24", 2010

 If you would like to see more of my paintings please visit my painting portfolio website or my other blog for fine arts painting. 

Blue Sari - painting process

Tessa Guzé, Blue Sari 2012, 16"x20"

This is a painting of a young girl from Mumbai wearing a blue sari. This painting is currently on display at the Durham Arts Council. 

I took a few photos as I worked on this painting to show my painting process. 

I started by toning the canvas with a thin layer of blue oil paint because I knew I wanted this painting to have blue undertones. 

toned canvas

After the canvas was toned and dried I drew a rough charcoal sketch on the canvas. I like to do a sketch in charcoal instead of an underpainting because it is quicker, but it still helps to map out the painting and determine values.

charcoal sketch

After the sketch was completed I sprayed it with workable fixative, this stops the charcoal from running and muddying the oil paint. Then I did the painting in oil paint, using turpentine and linseed oil.

Finished painting

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my painting portfolio or my fine art blog.

Kiva - make a $25 loan for free!

Tessa Guzé, My Umbrella 2012, oil on canvas

Kiva, an organization that allows people to make loans to people in need throughout the world, is having a promotional offer. Give a loan for free for a limited time. Follow this link and help someone at no expense to yourself. It only takes a couple of minutes and you could really help to chance someone's life for the better. http://www.kiva.org/invitedby/tessa9363

Ceremony

Ceremony, Tessa Guzé, oil on canvas, 2012

In Korea Buddha’s birthday is celebrated with Lotus Lantern festivals and the apprenticeship of young monks. One of the ceremonies is marking the child’s arm with burning incense.

This painting is currently on display in an exhibition at the Durham Arts Council in NC. It is part of a solo show of my work called "Beginners Mind: Painting with an Open Heart".

If you are interested in see more of my work please visit my artists portfolio website or my fine arts paintings blog.

Korean Child Monk

Tessa Guze, Child Monk, oil on canvas,  30"x40"

In South Korea Buddha's birthday is a holiday celebrated on May 28th. There are many celebrations leading up to holiday one of which is a temple stay experience for children. They have their heads saved and get to experience living like a monk.

If you are interested in seeing more of my work please visit my painting portfolio website or my fine arts blog.

Street Cook

Tessa Guze, Street Cook, oil on canvas, 24" x 18"

This is a painting of a South Korean street vender cooking spicy rice cakes.

To see more of my paintings visit my website or my fine arts blog.

West Highland White Terrier

Tessa Guze, Freddy Portrait, oil on canvas, 2012

This is a portrait of Freddy, a West Highland White Terrier. West Highland White Terries small dogs but they are great with children and protective guard dogs.
This is an oil portrait. It is small, only 8" x 10". It is currently on display at the Art Shop at Moore.

To see more pet paintings please visit my pet portraits gallery or my pet painting blog.

Walking Home

Tessa Guze, Walking Home, oil paint, 2011

This is a painted of a little boy I used to teach.  When I was in Jaipur India, I volunteered to teach in an impoverished shanty town. To see more similar paintings visit my fine arts blog or my painting portfolio website.

Memory Portrait

Tessa Guze, Lady in Blue, oil on canvas,  6" x 8"

This is a portrait of the lady who lived next door to the school where I taught in Jaipur, India. Our school was really just the space between two peoples houses with a tarp as a roof to keep rain and sun out. Every morning, this lady and the rest of her family would step over my students when they needed to come and go from their house.

My tiny school, its the space between the buildings under the blue tarp.

My students trying to fix an extra tarp on our school to shield us from the summer sun.

To see more similar work visit my Passion Projects Blog or my painting portfolio website.

Relaxation

Tessa Guze, Relaxation, oil on canvas,

This is a painting I did after visiting a Sea Salt Water Sauna in Yeonggwang and Hampyeong, Korea. It was my first trip to a sauna since coming to Korea. It was a wonderful relaxing experience but I also found it really beautiful. When they first put the hot stones in the water the room was filled with so much steam that you could see nothing at all, not even your own hands. Than slowly the steam faded and the other people around you emerged.


This painting is currently on display at the Gwangju International Center in Gwangju, Korea.


To see more similar paintings please visit my passion project blog or my painting portfolio website.

Going Skiing

Tessa Guze, Going Skiing, oil on canvas, 36"x24"

This is a painting I did after going skiing for the first time in Muju, Korea.

This painting is currently on display at the GIC (Gwangju International Center) in Gwangju Korea.
To see more of my work visit my children's book illustrations blog or my painting portfolio website.

First Snow

Tessa Guze, Ear Muffs, oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

I have always hated winter. I hate the cold. I hate winter clothing. However living in Korea, I have started to enjoy winter (I didn't really have a choice). I went skiing for the first time, and loved it! I also discover that wearing half a dozen layers of clothing truly does help to ward off the cold. Here in Korea there are lots of cute and fashionable winter clothing and paraphernalia, including the huge earmuffs I have painted in this picture. I  have learned to see the beauty of falling snow and of people struggling to protect themselves from the cold (while remaining fashionably chic).

This painting is currently on display at the Gwangju International Center. It is part of a solo exhibition of my work titled, Portraits of Life. All the paintings in the show are paintings I have done in the past few months since moving to Korea.

To see more of my work please visit my painting portfolio website.

Women's Works, 25th Anniversary Show

Tessa Guze, Lips, oil on canvas,

This painting is in the Women's Works 2012 25th Anniversary Show, in the Old Court House Arts Center in Woodstock, Illinois. This show is run by the NAAC (Northwest Area Arts Council).
The show opens on March 8th. There will be a Gala Night Opening Reception is March 24th at 7PM CST with over 500 people attending. The show will continue through April 29th.
For more information about the show you can visit NAAC's website: www.naac4art.org or the Women's Works website: www.womensworks.net. Anyone in the area please stop by and check out the show!

If you are interested in seeing more similar work please visit my portrait portfolio on my website, my fine arts blog, or my portraits blog.

Intension

Tessa Guze, Intension, oil on canvas

Tessa Guze, Intension Sketch, oil on canvas

To see more similar work please visit my painting portfolio website or my fine arts blog.

The Shipwrecker

Tessa Guze, The Shipwreacker, oil on canvas, 2011

This is a painting of a ship wrecker in Bangladesh, he is using rags in an attempt to protect himself from the many dangerous chemicals. The process of breaking down ships produces so many dangerous chemicals, that most countries have created laws to protect the workers. Breaking down ships in a safe way is more expensive than the profit made by the parts so it is no longer done in many places. However there are still people desperate enough that they are forced to risk the dangers and break ships without any safety precautions.

To see more similar paintings please visit my fine arts portfolio website or my passion painting blog.

Thirst

Tessa Guze, Thirst, oil on canvas, 2011

To see more similar work please visit my painting portfolio website or my passion painting blogs.

Help?

Tessa Guze, Help, Oil on Canvas

This is a painting of a beggar in India.

To see more similar work please visit my painting portfolio website or my passion painting blogs.

Red Rainboots

Tessa Guze, Red Rainboots, oil on canvas, 2011

This is an oil painting of a cat and a little girl. This painting, along with other pet portraits and children's book illustrations, will be displayed in the Gwangju International Center, in Gwangju South Korea starting March, 10th. This is an oil painting of a cat and a little girl. To see more similar paintings please visit my pet painting blog, to see my people portraits please visit my painting portfolio website or my portrait painting blog.