Sammy and Laura Long produce a wide range of art objects in their
Spirit Bear studio:
- Bronze sculptures, bas relief, portrait busts
- Bas relief carvings in maple and yellow cedar
- Unique furniture to order
- Pedestal Dining Tables
- Japanese-Style Benches
- Gathering Tables
- Cedar strip kayaks
- Other wood furnishings, e.g., votive candelabras, sushi plates, etc
Sammy and Laura Long work in their Spirit Bear Studio in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, overlooking Haro Strait in the beautiful San Juan Islands. Sammy is a sculptor, specializing in expressive portrait busts and full figure bronzes. He also constructs sea-worthy cedar strip kayaks as art forms to hang in your home and recently started creating handsome votive candle holders made of exotic woods—perfect for gifts or decorating a festive holiday table. Laura’s main interests are in bas relief wood carvings, and designing furniture that also serve as objects of art. Her work shows influences of southwest and northwest Indians and the orient. The most popular current pieces are the Kyoto bench, gathering (or party) tables and dining tables seating as many as ten. Sammy and Laura often team to design and create their furniture.
Sammy says “I always attempt to put an emotional tug into my art. I want it to be arresting, if only for a moment, and then I know it has done its job as art. Remember that true art is more than beauty—it can also make us uncomfortable. If art arrests you, if only for a moment, it is speaking to your unconscious."
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Friends & Colleagues:
I am pleased to announce that my latest sculpture, “Spirit of Black Elk” was “juried into” the up-coming exhibit of Islands Museum of Art (San Juan County), and will be on exhibit until the end of 2009. Dr. Martin Segger of the University of Victoria was the judge of the competition. This is not only a distinct honor, but the pieces on exhibit are for sale to the public, thereby increasing both exposure and the possibility of a sale. Grand opening, with artists’ reception, will be September 25th. The exhibit is entitled “Outside the Box—Inside the Museum”, and is for “small” sculptures only.
Black Elk was a holy or medicine man of the Sioux tribe who not only had “fantastic” visions as a child, but was able to heal the sick as an adult. He was present at both the Battle of Little Big Horn and the massacre of the Indians at Wounded Knee. In my sculpture I honored this unique man by showing grief, piety, and resignation in his rugged face. After Wounded Knee he is reported to have said sadly, “The Tree of Life is dead”. For him, his people, and his way of life, it was true.
If you live in the San Juan Islands, or plan to visit Friday Harbor, please take time to see this special exhibit at IMA, 28 First Street, Friday Harbor, WA.
Sammy Long |
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