Gemma Guiomard
Gemma Guiomard is a first generation American raised in Dallas, Texas. Guiomard has worked as a scenic artist for several professional theatres. Other large-scale work includes designing and painting murals internationally and in Arkansas. Her poetry has been published in Anthologies several times. She has done commissioned paintings and shared her work in art exhibits in Dallas and Arkansas. Guiomard has also worked as a freelance graphic designer over the years. And also studied music and performing. Exploring and developing in these many areas of the arts was challenging and rewarding but her first and truest love was the visual arts. Her parents noticed her passion for drawing and enrolled her in art technique lessons at the age of 13. She continued her study into college where she was the first person in Ouachita’s history to double major in studio art and musical theatre. She graduated magna cum laude with over 200 credit hours. Since college she has continued to explore life and process experiences through the visual arts. Including time spent after college volunteering internationally and time spent in psychiatric treatment centers. Gemma Guiomard advocates lessening the stigma around mental health issues and is unashamed of her life long struggle with mental illness. She has continued to create throughout these times of difficulty, bringing to life passionate, vibrant works she is very proud of.
Artist Statement The goal in my personal artwork is to capture the experience of interacting with the subject. When I paint a portrait I am not usually interested in a physical likeness. Instead I seek to communicate the emotion, tension, and spirit of the person. Specifically my interpretation of those things- I make no effort to be objective. My abstracted portraits are intentionally personal and revealing. In terms of my poetry, I have found writing to be an incredible antidote to shame. I never dreamed of sharing my poetry. I wrote it because I had to. And for me that was the completion of the experience. Each poem bursts out of me quickly and usually as an entire work. In psychiatric treatment, I began to share my poems and they often resonated with others. Hearing shame spoken can be exceptionally freeing; for the speaker and the witness. My writing of the past several years is an exercise in brevity. I am fascinated by the idea of creating an entire world of emotion and thought in as few words as possible. If I can write a complete poem in one sentence I am delighted. The works I created for CHAOS!!!!!!! Reflect a recent movement in my art making process to combine the two main art forms I explore in my life. I don’t want the words or the image to be a supporting character. I’d love them to illustrate each other vibrantly in a passionate partnership. CV EDUCATION 2010 - 2014 Bachelor of Arts Musical theatre & Studio Art Ouachita Baptist University | Magna Cum Laude AWARDS/ CERTIFICATES/ HONORS 2018 Certificate of Completion, Sexual Abuse Awareness | Ministry Safe 2017 Innovator of the Year as Service Learning Coordinator, Cedar Valley College DCCCD | Lancaster, TX 2010 - 2014 Repeatedly on the President's List and Dean's List for academic achievement, Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR 2011 Inducted into Theta Alpha Phi- National Theatre Honors Fraternity, Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR 2009 Phi Theta Kappa- International Honors Society, Cedar Valley College | Lancaster, TX EXHIBITIONS 2018 Hot and Sweaty, 500x | Dallas, TX 2017 Art Conspiracy 13, Cedars Union | Dallas, TX 2016 Art Conspiracy 12, Cedars Union | Dallas, TX 2014 Perception (Solo Exhibit), Hammons Gallery in OBU | Arkadelphia, AR 2011 Juried Exhibit, Verser Gallery in OBU | Arkadelphia, AR COMMISSIONED WORKS 2016 Winnie the Pooh Nursery, | Yuma, AZ 2015 Wedding Piece, ink on paper | Hot Springs Village, AR Texas Wild Flowers, triptych oil paint on canvas | Duncanville, TX 2013 Family Portrait, ink on paper | Duncanville, TX 2011 Illustrated children's book for amateur author | Arkadelphia, AR 2009 Portrait of Daughter as Ballerina, oil paint on canvas | Dallas, TX SCENIC ART 2018 Scenic Artist and Designer, American Baroque Opera Company, Arts Mission Oak Cliff | Dallas, TX 2017 Artistic Director, Family Music Theatre The Little Mermaid | Lancaster, TX 2016 Assistant Scenic Artist, Shakespeare Dallas The Tempest | Dallas, TX 2013 Set Designer, Verser Theatre Juliet by Romulus Linney | Arkadelphia, AR Co Set Designer, Verser Theatre Year with Frog and Toad | Arkadelphia, AR Co Set Designer, Jones Performing Arts Center Hello Dolly! | Arkadelphia, AR Scenic Art Intern, Verser Theatre Harrison Texas | Arkadelphia, AR Scenic Art Intern, Verser Theatre Machinal | Arkadelphia, AR Scenic Art Intern, Verser Theatre Crane Wife | Arkadelphia, AR Scenic Art Intern, Jones Performing Arts Center The Drowsey Chaperone | Arkadelphia, AR Scenic Art Intern, Verser Theatre Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl | Arkadelphia, AR 2011 Scenic Art Intern, Verser Theatre Under Milk Wood | Arkadelphia, AR Scenic Art Intern, Verser Theatre School House Rock Jr. | Arkadelphia, AR MURALS 2016 Underwater World Classroom, Cayman Islands Baptist Church | Grand Cayman Geometric Landscape Classroom, Cayman Islands Baptist Church | Grand Cayman Transportable board mural, Cayman Islands Baptist Church | Grand Cayman 2015 Script for Classroom, Walnut Valley Baptist Church | Hot Springs Village, AR 2014 Series of murals for the youth center, Walnut Valley Baptist Church | Hot Springs Village, AR Murals as lobby display for Guys and Dolls, Jones Performing Arts Center | Arkadelphia, AR GRAPHIC DESIGN 2018 Postcards for art exhibitions and receptions, Ro2 Art | Dallas, TX Website design and upkeep (Weebly), Ro2 Art | Dallas, TX Event banners for website, Ro2 Art | Dallas, TX Social media and email advertisements (Mail Chimp), Ro2 Art | Dallas, TX 2017 Poster design, event info design, and info pamphlets, Service Learning at Cedar Valley College | Lancaster, TX Spring packets and posters for Ladies Bible Study, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX Informational posters for areas of connection within the church, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX 2016 Fall packets and posters for Ladies Bible Study, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX Developed logo and branding for Women of Faith, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX Promotional elements of Women of Faith's fall retreat, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX T-shirt design for Women of Faith's fall retreat, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX Fall packets and posters for Ladies Bible Study, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX Promotional elements for variety of events, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX 2015 Mission trip informational mailer, individual | DeSoto, TX iPhone cases, individual | DeSoto, TX 2014 Drawing lesson advert, individual | Hot Springs, AR Posters on Wes Anderson movies, personal project | Arkadelphia, AR Illustration, Scope Literary Journal | Arkadelphia, AR 2013 Book cover of Freud's Interpretation of Dreams, personal project | Arkadelphia, AR GALLERY ADMINISTRATION 2018 Gallery Intern, Ro2 Art | Dallas, TX GALLERY INSTALLATION 2018 Nuptials | Ro2 Art | Solo exhibition by Brian Scott Twelve Nights | Ro2 Art at The Magnolia | Solo Exhibition by Lisa Graziotto Shift | Ro2 Art at The Magnolia | Solo exhibition by Fari Rahimi The Women of Ro2 | Ro2 Art Downtown Pop-Up | Group exhibition: Allison Belliveau-Proulx Gillian Bradshaw-Smith, Camilla Cowan, Catherine Cornelius, Georganne Deen, Cuyler Etheredge, Nancy Ferro, Cheryl Finfrock, Danielle Georgiou, Linda Dee Guy, Niki Havekost, Barbara Horlander, Sonali Khatti, Bumin Kim, Anita Kunz, Yuni Lee, Julie Libersat, Xiao Lu Liu, Jeanne Neal, Hayley Quentin, Robin Ragin, Fari Rahimi, Kathy Robinson-Hays, Patricia Rodriguez, Dee Shapiro, Erica Stephens, Carroll Swenson-Roberts, Marilyn Waligore, Peggy Wauters. Littoral Imaginarium | Ro2 Art | Solo exhibition by Linda Dee Guy. Then and Now | Ro2 Art | Group exhibition: Christopher Blay, Chris Bramel, Simeen Farhat, Etty Horowitz, DJ Perera, Alvaro Perez, Nathan Porterfield, Jason Reynaga, and Winter Rusiloski PUBLISHED 2018 America’s Best Emerging Poets | Z Publishing House Arkansas Best Emerging Poets | Z Publishing House 2013 Scope Literary Journal | Ouachita Baptist University 2012 (Artwork) Scope Literary Journal | Ouachita Baptist University 2007 Forever Spoken | The International Library of Poetry TEACHING 2017 Taught dozens of students to paint the set as a team for a theatre production, Family Music Theatre | Lancaster, TX 2015 Summer Art Instructor, Plano Children's Theatre | Plano, TX 2014 - 2015 Long term substitute teacher for a special needs class, SubTeach USA | Hot Springs Village, AR 2012 Private Instructor, drawing technique for adults | Midlothian, TX HUMANITARIAN WORK INTERNATIONAL IN ORANGE 2018 Refugee Connect Initiative | Dallas (Vickery Meadow), TX 2016 - 2017 Assistant to the director, group leader, mentor to Jr. high kids, Faith Bible Church | DeSoto, TX 2016 Women’s Ministry | Cayman Islands Baptist Church | Grand Cayman 2016 Volunteered with drug addicted teens in a holistic, homeless shelter: Mission to El Salvador | San Salvador, El Salvador 2015 Supported missionary family | Northern China 2015 Taught English at a local Ethiopian school for the fall semester: Global Influence Thrive Academy | Debre Berhan, Ethiopia 2014 - 2015 Mentor to high school kids, Walnut Valley Baptist Church | Hot Springs Village, AR 2006 - 2010 Volunteered regularly in community outreach and city lead environmental programs | DeSoto, TX 2009 Wrote senators, promoted, and participated in peaceful protest in downtown Dallas called The Rescue in efforts to bring government action to the crisis in Uganda, Invisible Children | International event 2008 Volunteered in refugee camps of the former child soldiers | Kampala & Gulu, Uganda |