Jay Long

Jay Long creates oil paintings using wood, found paper, linen, gesso, and oil paint. This creative process begins with a sketch of an idea. The drawing is then transferred to a wood panel which is cut to the shape, covered with linen, gessoed, sometimes collaged, then painted. The result is mounted with into a handmade frame or box to add dimension, and finished with shellac. Ideas are sometimes inspired by literature, music or theater as a way of personally interpreting historic or contemporary culture. Other sketches are created automatically, without premeditation, in order to discover the features of a character or scene more as a participant in the emerging idea than its creator.