Amanda Dunbar’s bedazzling attack on axes makes art out of instruments
Artist Amanda Dunbar spends hours attaching individual Swarovski crystals to her unique collection of guitars, but be careful how you refer to them. “I’m not sure Swarovski is into calling it ‘bedazzling,’” she cautions. “Bejeweling might be better.”
Whatever the term, Dunbar’s glittering guitars — called Precious Rebels — have made her popular with musicians and bling-queens alike. She custom-made some for the Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce’s guitarist is a client and Crystal Bowersox used one on American Idol.
Although the encrusted axes are a fairly new addition to Dunbar’s repertoire, she’s not a newcomer to art — she had her first show at 16. But Precious Rebels does represent another aspect of her expression.
“It’s the fusion between different forms of art, creating in essence another type that is totally different,” that initially intrigued her, though she admits to another motivation too.
“I remember reading that the average person spends two to three seconds looking at a painting — two to three seconds! Even the Mona Lisa! That astounded me. I wondered what’s a way to make people spend more looking at a piece of art. This was one way to have a functional piece of art. Painting will always be my first love, but I wanted to create a way to make it more appealing to a broader audience and incorporate another thing I love: Rockin’ out in my studio.”
“Creativity and art are a means of positive expression that transcends age, sexuality, gender, race. There’s something powerful about being able to make a statement that can’t be judged.”
— Arnold Wayne Jones
Amanda Dunbar Gallery, 154 Glass St. Precious Rebels exhibit runs through Dec. 31. AmandaDunbarFineArt.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 2, 2011.
