Chris Long, Gulf Squall III, oil

Chris Long

Thanks to a career-altering transition from figural sculpture to stunning expressionistic oil paintings, Chris Long creates bold work that reflects his own unique take on life.

Chris Long graduated from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts with a degree in sculpture, his chosen profession, and then plied his trade diligently for the next ten years. "I worked 12- to 14-hour days at multiple jobs," he remembers. "I taught drawing, sculpture, and mold making, sculpted monumental works for other studios, and participated in gallery and museum shows, all with very little professional progress. Upon reflection, my stubborn nature got the best of me. I probably should have pivoted and switched mediums significantly sooner."

Chris Long, Dawn Over a Calm Lake, oil

Discovering painting

In late 2010, at a friend's suggestion, he and his family packed up an RV and drove to New Orleans which had a thriving art community at the time. Impressed by artists selling their work in the French Market and on Frenchmen Street, he decided to join them and give painting a try, even though he had never been interested in the genre and had no training. The unexpected transition brought with it a lot of work and imperative research.

"My wife (a painter I met at art school) gave me my initial direction," he says. "But then the city took over and made creating and selling new pieces out in public rather addictive. What I lacked in knowledge I made up for in production; since I began in November 2010, I've managed to create close to 14,000 originals in gouache, acrylic, and oil."

Chris Long, Verdant V, oil

Powerful expressionism

The outcome was fortuitous. Long's works are stunning landscapes rendered in oil on cradled wood panels. There is nothing subtle about his art. The thick, painterly brushstrokes, bold color, powerful compositions, and compelling expressionistic images provide a visceral feast for the viewer.

Describing his style and technique, Long says, "Using highly varied surface topography and bold color was the easiest way for me to create torsion in my compositions. Since I'm primarily a self-taught painter, it feels more natural to consider dynamic marks of paint as flowing forms rather than light.

I regard my paintings in the same way I do sculpture, perceiving the harmony of each piece in terms of energy, withness, and impact rather than color, shape, and value."

Chris Long, Beavertail State Park, oil

Imagery taken from his travels

Long's paintings are rendered from both life and photographs he and his wife take on their travels, but he never replicates a scene, finding no satisfaction in realistically painting exactly what he sees. Rather, he believes creativity makes his work stronger, and he often creates a single piece working from several different photos of the subject. "I value conveying the complexities of memory over capturing a random moment," he says.

"I prefer a variety of photographs, small studies, and my imagination and dreams as reference for each painting. Even my plein air work involves an aspect of fantasy, as I may be standing in the hot afternoon sun, however, I'll be painting the exact scene as if it were a nocturne. It's important to keep myself entertained so I don't absentmindedly overwork the pieces."

Chris Long, Sidewinder, oil

Leaning toward altered reality

When asked what he found to be the most challenging part of his practice, Long answered, "My ongoing body of work is a sort of non-sequential diary; I've made it a point within the last decade to only paint the places where I've physically been present. I do, however, often imagine the place I'm depicting in alternative weather and atmospheric conditions to intensify the experience, akin to recalling a particularly potent memory. Deciding how far to push things can be tricky because I want to visually lean towards that altered reality without simply fictionalizing everything."

Chris Long, Night Sky in Tourmaline, oil

Painting at home and on the road

Based in Connecticut, Long has no studio, making use of the dining room in his house or, when he and his family travel in the RV, in the front passenger seat or outside in a camping chair (he takes a dozen driving trips every year to destinations from coast to coast to satisfy his "need to explore").

Whether at home or on the road, he is a prolific painter, creating two to four paintings every day, preferring to work mornings (with a cup of black espresso, on ice, in hand).

A true individualist, Long's lifestyle and attitudes are the outgrowth of an artist's soul; and are easily seen in every painting he creates.

You can see more of Long's art at chrislongpainter.com or @long_painter.