Phillip A. Long

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EXHIBITIONS!!!!

Visit Katody's Gallery on route 17 @ Governor's Point in Suffolk, VA. Kathy will show you my work as well as many other local artists.

Stop by ZEN Spa on Holland Road in Virginia Beach to see my latest work on display.

See my work @ the Riverview Gallery on the harbor in Portsmouth, VA.

Contact Raquel at Trends Salon in Okeene, OK.

See Carol at the Health Food Center on S. Pennsylvania Ave. in south Oklahoma City.

The new Sentara @ Belle Harbour in Suffolk, Virginia has a large display of balanced stone work for viewing.

Offices of Doctors Wiggins and Rhodes in Portsmouth, VA

The Barbara and Charles Mertz Foundation

See some of my large giclee prints on canvas at the Aquinnah Cliffs in Martha's Vineyard, MA. Ask for Donald.

The Art of Balanced Stone

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The artist:
My name is Phillip A. Long. I grew up in western Oklahoma on a wheat and cattle farm. I came to the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in 1988 and have lived here ever since. I travel several times a year to do new work. I have always found stone interesting. They’re (usually) free, they’re simple, most are over a million years old, and no two are alike.
My mother, Gwen, recently reminded me that when I was a little boy, my pockets were always full of rocks and things that I had found. I had forgotten about that.

The photography:
When choosing a location to work, I am looking for two things: colorful stones for the sculptures and breathtaking backgrounds for the photography. Most of my work is done on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The Vineyard’s north and west beaches are known for their rocks and stones. Every morning the tide and waves have delivered fresh subjects for my work. You’ll also see many photos from work that I’ve done on the Chesapeake Bay beaches, Blue Ridge Mountains, and the US Virgin Islands.

The idea:
Let me mention my aunt Janice. Having a passion for natural stone has been the root of my enthusiasm. But Janice is the person who inspired me to actually do something artistic with it. If you were to visit her home on Martha’s Vineyard, you would find thousands of hand selected rocks and beach stones. Some arranged according to color, size, shape. Some stacked and some balanced. Some on the porch and some in the yard. It’s the first thing you notice when you arrive. Several years ago on Philbin Beach on Martha’s Vineyard she showed me how to balance a stone. It just kind of grew from there.
Scroll down a few inches to see one of Janice's works.

The balanced sculpture:
All of the sculptures that you’ll see are free-balanced. I don’t cement the stones or modify the photos. I feel that there is great energy in free balance. Just think, the Earth is rotating at almost 1100mph. There is a point (balance) that can be found where equal gravity from all possible directions is pulling on any object. If you find that perfect point and let go, they stay! I photograph each sculpture to save it. Usually a balanced sculpture will last a day or so. Some have lasted as much as a week. Ultimately, the stones end up in the sand where I found them. Mother nature erases all evidence of my visit.

The titles:
You’ll notice that each piece has a name. After completing a sculpture I step back and think about it for a while. As we all know, art is relative. The names of art, probably even more so.
I’ve received some interesting comments on my website ( www.vineyardrocks.com) about what some of the sculptures look like or mean to different people. Some are really deep, spiritual, and sometimes emotional interpretations. Some of the interpretations cause me to look at and to think about the piece in a different way. I appreciate all the comments and feedback I receive.Thank you for your interest in my work,

Phillip A. Long

Please call or email for pricing and more information on prints.

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Contact Info

EXHIBITIONS!!!!

I hope that you enjoyed your visit. Come back soon.

The Art of Balanced Stone

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Donaroma"s Nursery and Landscape Services - Edgartown, Marthas Vineyard

Visit my friend Peter @ Split Rock Real Estate, - Martha"s Vineyard exclusive buyer representation