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 Anthony Guerra started his art education at an early age. Although a very good writer, Anthony Guerra remembers being able to get through his senior year English class by painting a mural on the teacher's wall. "It was awesome. I'd paint away and every once in a while I'd look back to see everyone in my class taking a test on Romeo and Juliet or having to do worksheets on sentence structure. I was much happier doing a mural of St. George and the Dragon."
That mural later became the center of controversy in the town of Las Cruces, NM. Local religious figures felt inclined to proclaim some sort of anti-religious content in the painting. As a result, the painting only stayed on the wall for about two years. "It was my first experience dealing with rejection on the artistic front. I sure found out that it wouldn't be the only time in my
career."
Soon after graduating from Mayfield High School in 1988, he went on to attend college at the American College for the Applied Arts in Atlanta, Georgia. "I had a ton of favorite classes at ACAA. It was my first experience with using acrylics through the airbrush and I found out so much about the importance of color and composition. The two of which I feel are the most important aspects of art. Bad color can blind you and bad composition can turn you away from a painting
quickly."
In 1993, he went on to attend The Art Institute of Houston and in December 1994, he went on to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. "I was obsessed with art while I was at AIH. I worked extremely hard and spared no expense. Although I don't do it very much now because of the archival qualities of the medium, I particularly like working with markers. So many colors and so many directions to go. I remember when I registered at AIH, all students were given a red, yellow, blue, and black marker. We were expected to blend with these colors to achieve every color in the rainbow. Hardy Har! A big joke as far as I was concerned. I was pretty darn broke and it didn't matter. If I needed the color green, I went and bought every green marker that I could get my hands on."
On graduation night he was hired by a children's educational book company called Rock 'N Learn to illustrate their books. "I remember very clearly that just about every instructor at AIH told me that I was dreaming if I thought that I could get a job as an illustrator right out of college. It goes to show that you just don't go on believing everything you
hear."
He felt fortunate to kick off his career with Rock 'N Learn because he was able to continue his education to better his artistic skills. The president of Rock 'N Learn, Richard Caudle, felt it was beneficial for all of his employees to continue their education in all their chosen fields. Anthony Guerra went on to work for them for five years and left to start a career as a freelance illustrator and fine artist. "I felt that my projects away from Rock 'N Learn weren't benefiting them so it was the best decision. I felt a need to get deeper with my thoughts and sometimes when you do work for a client you don't have that creativity outlet you would have if you were working on something that belonged in a
gallery."
Since leaving he has continued his relationship with Rock 'N Learn and to this day he still helps them with various projects such as covers and ad work. "Freelancing isn't easy but it seems like when you're trying to really capitalize as an artist you always hit ups and downs. Sometimes the ups are way up and sometimes the downs are way downs. You have to find that "somewhere between" space and make it rise from
there."
In addition to being an artist, he is also a teacher. "Teaching is an outlet for me. It's not hard to figure out how an artist achieved a certain texture or what colors they combined to achieve that brilliant color so why not share it. I don't have anything to hide as far as my techniques are concerned so I make it a point to get on a plane and hold seminars and classes to spread the word (and the techniques). Hopefully I can help people enjoy life as an artist just like I do." His career has definitely been on the rise. Major illustration projects have fell in his lap over the last year and his library of tucked away fine art will be hitting galleries in the year 2002. "Being an artist has definitely opened a slew of doors. Hard work always pays off." When asked to explain his art in three words or less laughs filled the room and he quickly blurted, "How about: curvy, emotional, sensual, spiritual, and... Oooops! that was
four." (laughs)
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