Michele Guieu's Painting 'Jill Carroll, Iraq, January 2006' Wins the Juror's Choice Award at the San Diego Art Institute for the Month of February 2006

Michele Guieu maintains an interest in current world events, staying informed and keeping her eyes opened. And though she does not particularly believe that her art can change the world (she could have chosen to be an activist instead), she feels it is her responsibility as an artist to express her concerns and her views about the world. Her latest painting of journalist Jill Carroll strikes a resounding chord by winning the Juror's choice award at the San Diego Art Institute.

(PRWEB) April 12, 2006 -- Michele Guieu's painting "Jill Carroll, Iraq, January 2006" wins the Juror's Choice Award at the San Diego Art Institute for the month of February 2006.

In January 2006, after learning of Jill Carroll’s abduction, Michele decided to make a painting about the journalist and to submit the painting to the San Diego Art Institute for the February juried show. It was Michele’s hope that the painting would be selected for the show so that it could be seen in relation to current world events.

The painting originated from a portrait of Jill Carroll that circulated through the news media after her initial abduction. Jill Carroll’s situation as a hostage is horrifying, but Michele’s intention was to present her portrait, and therefore story, in a non-violent way, highlighting the almost spiritual personality of the image. She wanted to express her compassion and admiration for the young journalist.

Michele has transformed the portrait of Jill Carroll using image editing software, producing an approximation of the original photo, yet one that is almost immediately identifiable. She then hand-painted the image on canvas and added detail, such as the diffuse glow around the portrait and the signs found across the painting’s surface, which are like a screen that separates Jill Carroll’s portrait from the viewer. The painting is characteristic of many others produced by Michele Guieu in that there are strong contrasts between the colors.

This is Michele Guieu’s third Juror’s Choice Award from the San Diego Art Institute.

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