Sketchbook Project Pages

Tessa Guzé, Sketchbook, Oil on canvas, 2013

Here are some more pages from my 2012/2013 sketchbook. 

Tessa Guzé, Sketchbook, Oil on canvas, 2013

This sketchbook is part of the Sketchbook Project created by the Art House Co-op. My sketchbook's serial number is #S97404 and call number is 195.8-3. As part of the sketchbook project my book will first tour galleries and venues though the US then become part of the collection at the Brooklyn Art Library. 

The Sketchbook Project

This year I submitted a sketchbook to the Sketchbook Project created by the Art House Co-op. My books serial number is #S97404 and call number is 195.8-3. As part of the sketchbook project my book will first tour galleries and venues though the US then become part of the collection at the Brooklyn Art Library. 

Tessa Guzé, Sketchbook Spread 1, 2012

My sketchbook is a combination of oil and pencil sketches.

The Art of Giving Reception

Tessa Guzé, 2012 Wine Label In Context

The (no name) Art Grout is having a reception for their wine label fundraiser The Art of Giving. It is on November 11th, 3-7pm at Encore Lounge, 112 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. For more details click here.

This is the (no name) art group's 3rd annual Art of Giving wine label exhibit and fundraiser. The beneficiary of this fundraiser is Philabundance, a charity that is fighting hunger and malnutrition in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley area.

Tessa Guzé, Celebrate 2012 Wine Label, Oil on canvas,

40 artists have participated, each creating a different label on the same theme, "Inspiration: The Love of Place". My painting is titled "Celebrate" and is inspired by the Dogon festivals in Mali. The Dogon people have various festivals were the men dress up in costumes and masks. They take place at varying intervals some only once every 12 years and the purpose is the binding of the spiritual world to the living world. During the Dama festivals the men go into caves and mourn the deaths that have occurred over the past 12 years and carve their masks. They then don the masks and dance for five days. These masks now have the power to drive away evil spirites. To see the link to my wine label please click here.

You can see all 40 wine labels by visiting the (no name) art group's website. 

To see more of my work please visit my painting portfolio website or my fine arts blog. Thank you!

The Art of Giving, 2012 Wine Label Fundraiser

This is a painting is did for the (no name) art group's 3rd annual Art of Giving wine label exhibit and fundraiser. The beneficiary of this fundraiser is Philabundance, a charity that is fighting hunger and malnutrition in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley area.

Tessa Guzé, Celebrate 2012 Wine Label, Oil on canvas,

40 artists have participated, each creating a different label on the same theme, "Inspiration: The Love of Place". My painting is titled "Celebrate" and is inspired by the Dogon festivals in Mali. The Dogon people have various festivals were the men dress up in costumes and masks. They take place at varying intervals some only once every 12 years and the purpose is the binding of the spiritual world to the living world. During the Dama festivals the men go into caves and mourn the deaths that have occurred over the past 12 years and carve their masks. Then they don the masks and dance for five days. These masks now have the power to drive away evil spirites. To see the link to my wine label please click here.

Tessa Guzé, 2012 Wine Label In Context

Here are a few examples of other artists wine labels. 

E Bond, 2012 Wine Label

E Bond, a Moore Alum, designer and professor at Moore College of Art and Design.

Linda Mehnert, 2012 Wine Label

 A beautiful piece by Linda Mehnert.

Christina Hess, 2012 Wine Label

 Christina Hess, a professional illustrator and a former professor of mine at Moore College of Art & Design.

Deborah Larkin, 2012 Wine Label

Deborah Larkin, designer and another former professor of mine at Moore.

To see all 40 wine labels please visit the (no name) art group's website. You can purchase bottles of wine here with your choice of wine label. There is only a small window to make your purchases and a limited amount of wine so please make any purchases before Oct. 7th. 

For anyone living in the Philadelphia area there is going to be an reception on November 11th, 3-7pm at Encore Lounge, 112 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. For more details click here. 

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

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.

Sheepdog Paintings

Tessa Guzé, Noble Sheepdog 2012, Oil on canvas, 16"x20",

Tessa Guzé, Working Dog 2012, Oil on canvas, 16"x 20"

These are two paintings of a sheepdog I did for the Meeker Sheepdog exhibition that runs from Sept. 5-Sept. 9th. It is an art auctions and fundraiser for the Meeker Sheepdog trails in Meeker, CO.

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

Beginners Mind: Painting with an Open Heart

Local Artist with a Global Perspective

Tessa Guzé, Painting featured in Painting with an Open Heart Exhibit, 2012

An exhibition of oil paintings by emerging artist, and Durham native, Tessa Guzé, will open at the Durham Arts Council on July 31. Entitled Beginner’s Mind: Painting with an Open Heart the show consists of 25 paintings portraying people from a wide range of countries and cultures, all presented in a way that address the themes of diversity, adversity, and humanity. Ms. Guzé’s objective is to communicate with as wide a range of people as possible, reaching across differences in culture, age, personality and knowledge. Her intention is to help viewers understand, and thus accept, people who seem different from themselves.

Tessa Guzé, Painting with an Open Heart Exhibition wall 1, 2012

The phrase “Beginner’s Mind” refers to the Buddhist concept of Shoshin or “non-judging.” It means having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when perceiving the world or studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level. Living internationally, Ms. Guzé has found this attitude essential when studying different cultures and forming friendships and working relationships in various countries.

Tessa Guzé, Painting from Jugar, 2012

Ms. Guzé grew up in Durham and graduated from Durham School of the Arts in 2007. She won a scholarship to study at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2011. Four of her paintings were chosen for an exhibition at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia in the summer of 2011. Her work has also appeared in numerous other galleries in the United States, as well as in galleries in South Korea and Thailand.

Tessa Guzé, Painting with an Open Heart wall 2, 2012

The exhibit will run through September 9th in the Allenton Gallery on the first floor of the Durham Arts Council Building, 120 Morris Street. The opening reception is Friday, August 17th from 5-7pm.

Tessa Guzé, Painting featured in Painting with an Open Heart Exhibit, 2012

More information about Tessa Guzé can be found on her website: www.tessaguze.com.

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.

Alone

Tessa Guze, Alone, Oil on Canvas

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

Bottled Water

Tessa Guze, Bottled Water, oil and charcoal on canvas, 2011

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

Harry the White Carousel Horse

Tessa Guze, Harry the White Carousel Horse Cover, oil and digital

Tessa Guze, Harry the White Carousel Horse Spread 2, oil and digital

Tessa Guze, Harry the White Carousel Horse Spread 6, oil and digital

Tessa Guze, Harry the White Carousel Horse Spread 10, oil and digital

This is a children's book I recently finished illustrating. The book is called Harry the White Carousel Horse. It is about the all white carousel horse in the carousel at the mall in Washington DC. The author of the book Karin Tetlow noticed that none of the children wanted to ride the all white horse, they were only interested in the other colorful horses. The book is about Harry accepting who he is and learning to be happy with the way he looks.
The book is in the Public Library Association's 14th National Conference at the convention center in Philadelphia, PA. The book is in the IBPA catalon (INdependent Book Publishers Association). Their website is: placonference.org/exhibits/exhibitors.
The book will be in the Library show and in the regional section for Independent Publisher Book Awards.


To see more of my work please visit my painting portfolio website or to see more horse paintings visit my equestrian paintings blog.

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.

HeART for Hope

Tessa Guze, Determination, oil on canvas

The Duange Prateep Foundation is organizing an art exhibition and auction to mark the first anniversary of the Japanese tsunami. Pieces of artwork have been donated by artists from all over the world and will be auctioned. The money raised from the auction will fund a nine-day-camp for Japanese and Thai victims of the tsunamis and other severe hardships. They will learn that they are not alone in their present suffering. There are other victims who have shared similar fates. They will engage in activities of experience-sharing and mutual support so they can begin to emerge from their current suffering and find hope in their futures.


The exhibition and auction will be held on March 10-12, 2012 at the Central World Complex at Rajprasong, Bankok.


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

My Philadelphia

Tessa Guze, My Philadelphia, 2011, oil on canvas,  8" x 10"

This painting is a part of the "My Philadelphia" exhibition at Prelude Gallery in Philadelphia. The exhibition runs from December 7 -17th.
Leaving Philadelphia and moving to another country, I have missed many things but the things I have missed most are my friends. This painting is of my friend Alex. Alex born and raised in Philly, epitomizes all of the things that I love about Philly, she is street smart, tough and full of energy, excitement and life. 

To see more similar work please visit my painting 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.