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. 

To see more finished paintings please visit my painting portfolio or my general painting blog.

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 artists 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 paintings, portraits and illustrations 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

Walking to School

Tessa Guzé, Walking to School, oil on canvas, 2011

This painting is currently on exhibition as part of a solo show of my work, titled "Beginner's Mind: Painting with an Open Heart". It just sold to another artist! The reception for the show is this Friday, from 5-7pm at the Durham Arts Council, in NC.

This is painting of one of the students I taught when I was working in a shanty town in Jaipur, India.

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

Real People Exhibition

Tessa Guzé, Looking into Light 2012, oil on canvas, 16" x 20"

The Real People Exhibition is run every August by the Old Court House Figurative League. It is a national juried show of figurative work. The theme is "Real People - Celebrating the Arts through Faces and Figures." The exhibition serves two purposes. The first is give artists like myself a chance to showcase and sell their paintings, while competing for prizes. Secondly it raises funds for the Figurative League to offer year-round life drawing programs to local artists.

The Real People Exhibition is being held in the Old Court House Art Center, in Woodstock, IL. There is going to be an opening reception on Saturday, August 25th from 6-8PM.

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

Beginner's Mind: Painting with an OpenHeart

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.

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 artists blog. 

Blue Sari

Tessa Guze, Mumbai Girl, oil on canvas, 16"x20"

This is a painting of a young girl from Mumbai wearing a blue sari.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my painting portfolio or my artist 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 artist's blog.

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 the portraits page of my website.

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. Artworks have been donated by artists from all over the world and will be auctioned. The money raised from the auction will fun 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.

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 artists blog.

My Philadelphia

Tessa Guze, My Philadelphia, oil on canvas 2011

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 painting portfolio website or artists blog.

Bottled Water

Tessa Guze, Bottled Water, oil and charcoal on canvas

Thirst

Tessa Guze, Thirst, oil and charcoal on canvas

African baby drinking water from a dirty rusted bowl. 

Alone

Tessa Guze, Alone, Oil on Canvas

Street Dog

Tessa Guze, Street Pup, oil on canvas

This is a painting of a half starved street dog in India.

Unescorted

Unescorted, Oil on Canvas

This is a painting I did a little over a year ago when I was applying for a fellowship from Moore College of Art & Design. The fellowship ended up funding my trip to India.

Walking Home

Walking Home

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.

Help?

Tessa Guze, Help, Oil on Canvas

This is a painting of a beggar in India.

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

A Safe Place to Sleep

Tessa Guze, Sleeping Alone, oil on canvas, 2011

Indian street dog sleeping on a ledge.

If you would like to see more of my animal paintings or fine arts paintings please visit my website or my pet paintings blog or artists blog.

Memory Portrait 1

Tessa Guze, Memory Portrait, Oil Paint

This is a portrait of the lady who lived next door to the school where I taught english in Jaipur, India. Our school was really just in 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 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.

The Ship Wrecker

Tessa Guze, The Shipwreacker, oil on Canvas

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 proves to be 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.

About this blog

Tessa Guze, Water, oil on canvas

My name is Tessa Guze. I am an oil painter. As an oil painter I do various painting work, (illustrations, commissions, portraits) because I enjoy it and because it helps me make a living. However I also do paintings for myself because I just cannot help it. This blog is where I am going to showcase these paintings.

I think of this body of work as my "Fine Arts" work because this is the work I do for myself because I feel compelled to. These paintings are the expression of things/people/places/animals that I feel a deep emotional connection and response to.

I hope you enjoy me work here. If you are interested in seeing my other work please visit my painting portfolio website tessaguze.com, my artists blog, my portrait paintings blog or my pet portrait blog.

Thank you for your interest! I would appreciate any feedback you care to give!