www.zhibit.org/marylongartist
long_mary_arts@yahoo.com
901.649.3006
15 years ago, following the suggestion of a Memphis artist/gallery owner, I discovered the technique of encaustic wax collage. The painting becomes an intuitive process, beginning with an idea of color or feeling, then builds a resolution out of the layers of chaos and confusion. Using a mostly pre-planned color scheme, I include in these paintings personal symbols, graphic elements, marks made with oil stick and some-times decorative paper. The work produced during the past year feature an increase in ‘mark making’, childlike outlines and map-like elements. Homes have been represented in my work recently, drawing from a heightened desire for security, as well as land-scapes from an aerial view or cityscapes. These home and fence elements come to reside in deceptively happy landscapes and colors, providing a sense of self and stability amid signs of decay and turmoil.
The encaustic technique involves creating a wax medium from melted beeswax and damar resin. Layers are fused together with a heat gun, occasionally these will be scraped back to smooth the surface or reveal previous layers. This technique brings to the work elements that are both solid and transparent, those that are easily and imme-diately understood positioned next to those that are evasive and subdued. The wax medium allows me to further explore the painting in a tactile way by selectively scrap-ing, incising and scarring; the mediums and materials are broken down only to be rebuilt and reshaped, making the work an extremely personal psychological reflection and reaction to the subject matter presented.
Bio
Mary Long was born in Canton, Ohio, and has been a resident of Memphis for 19 years. She is self-taught in wax encaustic techniques, and has been painting with wax encaustic almost exclusively for 12 years.
Associate of Arts in Painting and Graphic Design
Additional Painting, Art History and 3D courses and workshops, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN and Greenville Museum School of Art, Greenville
Galleries
Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe NM
Jay Etkin Gallery, Memphis TN
Tinney Contemporary, Nashville TN
Solo Shows
‘Plotlines’ Jay Etkin Gallery Memphis TN, February 2015
David Perry Smith Gallery, “free fall”, July 2012, Memphis TN
“New Work”, Jan., 2011 Perry Nicole Fine Art, Memphis TN
2008 Sagefarm Art & Craft, Taos NM 2008
Select Group and Two Person Showselect Group and Two Person Shows
Public/Artists Part I, Crosstown Arts, Memphis TN, February 2015
‘Cooper Young Invitational’, Jay Etkin Gallery, Memphis TN September 2014
‘Words Matter’, Jay Etkin Gallery, Memphis TN September 2014
‘Wax Duet’, Ellen Koment and Mary Long, Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe NM, July 2014
‘Waxworks Exhibition’, Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe NM, November 2013
‘Words Matter’, Marshall Arts, Memphis TN, October 2013
‘Surface Beauty’, Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe NM
July 2013 ‘Burgeoning’ DPS Gallery, Memphis TN, June 2013
‘Hanging Participles’, Marshall Arts, Memphis TN 2013
‘Southern Abstraction’ Tinney Contemporary, Nashville TN February 2013
“Art of Science” in conjunction with SJCRH, Memphis TN 2011, 2012
Harrington Brown, “Fragments” Oct., 2011, Memphis TN
Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe NM, 2010, 2011
Tinney Contemporary, Nashville TN 2009, 2010
“Myths and Marks” with Jonathan Postal at ANFA, Memphis TN 2009
Art Access Gallery, Bexley Ohio 2008 – 2011
Red Dot Art Festival, NYC 2007
Perry Nicole Fine Art, Memphis TN 2003 – 2010
Juried Shows
Delta Arts, 2010 – 2013, 2015
“Everywhere, Somewhere, Nowhere…” Director’s Choice, Powerhouse, Memphis TN, 2009 River Arts Festival, Memphis, Jurors Discretionary Award, Memphis TN 2007
L’Exposition Regionale Pyrenees-Cote Basque, Puyoo, France 1999 (2nd place winner, Acrylics)
Select Corporate and Permanent Collections, Clients
Tennessee State Museum, Permanent Collection
FirstBank: Janet and Jim Ayers’ Collection of Tennessee Art, Nashville, TN
Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, , Nashville, TN
Pinnacle Bank, Nashville, TN
Iberia Bank, Memphis, TN
Eli Manning
Jane Shelton Designs
Lincoln International LLC NY, NY
Bass, Berry and Simms PLC, Nashville, TN
PNC Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commercial Bank, Memphis, TN
Askew, Nixon and Ferguson Architects, Memphis, TN
Private collections worldwide
