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."
Sammy and Laura - with Haro Strait in the background
|
Dear Friends and Patrons:
There has been a great deal of activity here in Spirit Bear Studio since “Spirit of Black Elk” was displayed in the “Islands Museum of Art” show in Friday Harbor, WA. I am continuing to add sculptures to my “Plains Indians” collection, and they are being well-received by critics and collectors. “Sacred Dance” (18” h.) depicts a Sioux holy man balanced in mid-step as he carries the sacred pipe and a shield depicting the medicine wheel. “Chief Left Hand” (eight-tenths life-size portrait bust) depicts the famed Arapahoe leader who survived the Sand Creek Massacre in Colorado Territory and later the Battle of Little Big Horn to live into his eighties. I worked from an old photo taken by Edwin S. Curtis in 1927, and believe I have caught the old man’s grief as he actually looked in real life. “The Storyteller” is an old chief sitting cross-legged as he tells stories to the young people of the tribe about religion, lore, and life. He wears his bison horns proudly, and cradles his precious coup stick.
The Plains Indians were spiritual people and had a great many heroes to revere and remember. I am pleased to be able to keep their memories alive through my art.
Meanwhile, Laura, too, has been hard at work designing furniture and furnishings in the studio. One of her exciting projects currently is designing blown glass serving sets in gorgeous colors, and she will be sharing these on our web-site in due time.
Don’t forget my mantra—“If art arrests you, even momentarily, it is speaking to your unconscious.” Don’t be without it. It is the essence of life.
Sammy Long, sculptor. |
|
