ART100 Boston Recap

It was a beautiful evening filled with positive, creative, talented, innovative people that came together to appreciate each others craft and gain an understanding of each others perspectives. The gallery venue was the renown Piano craft gallery which is also home to some of the worlds well known artist. I had great time with my fiancé talking to people about the premise and meaning of my paintings. Hearing the reactions and responses to the artwork was very inspiring to us because it showed that we have the power to ignite passion in peoples hearts without even saying a word. I was filled with emotion being blessed to sell artwork and be provided with a platform to educate people about whats going on in the world. Now my work is in many diverse house holds and being the center of many thought provoking conversations. I feel truly blessed to have an opportunity to share a little piece of my universe with you. Thank you for your support thus far and stay tuned for my upcoming shows.

photo of me standing next to my work

We are proud of how far we have come and still have so much to achieve.

ART100 Boston (Gallery)

Im excited to be apart of the highly esteemed Art100 Gallery on DEC 2, 2016. I will be debuting some brand new artwork that makes a social commentary on the present conditions of the world. I have come a long way leading up to this moment and this is just the beginning.

                        Facebook event page   

"STILL I RISE" by Sherwin Long

My new shirts are now available.This painting was inspired by the civil rights movement which is still going on until this day. It's beyond black and white…its class, gender, complexion. We are fighting for unity as a generation of people breaking through the limitations set on us by this countries old money.  Named after Maya Angelou's beautiful self empowering poem that uplifted the souls of many. This project means a lot to me and the message it conveys. Click this link to get yours any size or color... Click this link STILL I RISE to get yours any size or color... Let the revolution begin!

for hoodies, tank tops and other accessories click here

Billie Holiday T shirts by Sherwin Long

If you are a supporter and fan of my artwork you will love the first shirt of our North star series. These were inspired by an original painting I did of Lady Holiday. It's a beautiful thing to see our vision evolve. We are happy to have you be apart of our learning process and journey.
Check out our online store for other shirts and accessories at SJLart store

to make a purchase click this link  buy NOW


They come in Mens, women, children in every size and many color options. if you have any questions message us at sjlart2k15@gmail.com





                              buy NOW

Gilgamesh by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting 

16"x 20" canvas

A character from ancient mythology that was a descendant of a God. I painted this as a part of a series of legendary characters that impacted society but we don't hear much about. Gilgamesh is the central character in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem from Mesopotamia that is considered the world's first truly great work of literature. The literary history of Gilgamesh begins with five Sumerian poems about 'Bilgamesh' (Sumerian for Gilgamesh). In the epic his father was Lugalbanda and his mother was Ninsun (whom some call Rimat Ninsun), a goddess. In Mesopotamian mythology, Gilgamesh is a demigod of superhuman strength who built the city walls of Uruk to defend his people from external threats, and travelled to meet the sage Utnapishtim, who had survived the Great Deluge. He is usually described as two-thirds god and one third man.

"The missing piece to the puzzle" by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting on 5.5'x4' canvas

step4. I outlined the shapes.

step3. I colored the background to create depth.

step2. I filled in the pieces with color.

step1. I sketched the drawing to plan where I would start and finish.

B.A.M.3 (Boston Arts in Motion)

I will be live painting at this event and there will be models being painted on by local artist. I am excited to hear the poetry and be surrounded by great art and people. 

"3 Kings" by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting on wood

size: 7.5 x4.5

This painting is about 3 kings who died because they didn't work together to unite against a common threat. They fought and lost one at a time instead of joining forces. Life is like that…we must work together to reach a higher state of existence. 

"ABZU" by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting on wood

size: 9.5"x 6"

This painting is about a cosmic being made of gold creating a galaxy. We are the masters of our consciousness, but only if we are aware of our true potential beyond the limitation set by reality. 

"Dream Catchers" by Sherwin Long

Pencil drawing I did for a tattoo design.

A tattoo I designed on the center of the chest.

                               

I made this one to represent me gaining an understanding of my subconscious and my purpose on this spiritual journey.

I drew this one for a friends tattoo on their forearm.

I painted this because I am an insomniac and I thought by making this I would be able to capture and hold on to my dreams because I rarely dream when I sleep. 

After making all these dreamcatchers I have been sleeping better and dreaming about some wild, exciting, beautiful, poetic, prophetic, and past regressions. Through these experiences I saw how vulnerable I am to my fears, but I as I kept dreaming multiple dreams in a night it became easier to get over the fear. I took that confidence and retrospective into this reality and now I understand what is meant by "spiritual transformation". It has made me curious about the other aspects of spirituality and has brought me on a path of reading and researching where I am expanding my knowledge of consciousness. I am no monk or holy person but lately I have been trusting my intuition and opening my heart. In order to reach cosmic potential I am embracing all that I am so that I can shine my unique perspective on those willing to accept change. I am the facilitator of change my individual essence is what empowers those that come within contact with my aura. Our dreams are a way to allow the mind to roam freely on our raw emotions and make them into metaphors for us to decipher and gain our own personal understanding from the symbols. I will continue to create dream catchers to keep my native american heritage alive.

"Cosmic Potential" by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting on masonite

size: 9.5" x 11.5"

This painting is about a character from my graphic novel, he is a cosmic entity that travels the galaxy trying become the best artist by challenging the best and consuming their essence if they lose the battle. He never lost a battle until he met me!

"Atlantis is Rising" by Sherwin Long

medium: Acrylic on wood  
size: 9.5" x 6"
This painting is about the lost civilization of Atlantis and how they sunk under the sea. They were known for their highly intellectual society and art based culture. It is said that the ancient egyptians are decedents of these people. I enjoy reading and learning about ancient cultures and the myths they passed down through generations.

Anunaki 1,2,3

The Anunnaki (also transcribed as: Anunna,Anunnaku, Ananaki and other variations) are a group of deities in ancient Mesopotamian cultures (Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian). The Anunnaki are the Sumerian deities of the old primordial line; they are chthonic deities of fertility, associated eventually with the underworld, where they became judges. In many other cultures there are stories that are similar where they use the same plots to the stories but just change the names of the individuals involved. The more we venture into the future I feel like its important that we review the past to be progressive and avoid repeating the same mistakes. I think these entities existed and changed the events in history by guiding us subtly and watching from a distance. I will be working on some new pieces regarding the Egyptians,Myans, and Incans.

Into Your Art: Spontaneous Elevations

  This was a great event filled with beautiful art work,energy and people all in one place. The evening went great because the display was professional and all the acts on stage were unique and captivating. Dimitri and I performed later in the evening but we still managed to grasp the attention of the room as our voices echoed through the audience. We talked about how we inspire each other and what our aspirations are and why we pursue art as a career. Our chemistry on stage was natural, but I knew he was nervous but my presence kept him calm enough to get his words out. He did a great job as he read a poetic excerpt from his journal. I read a poem and had the audience hanging on my every word. I ended the act by saying, "Art is my liberation." Then there was a great applause. I felt really good and had a sense of fulfillment after all the hard work leading up to the night of the show.  After our performance a woman in the audience told us that we inspired and touched her soul. I didn't expect my "real talk" as some people call it would evoke a latent passion in this woman I have never met before. I didn't expect my words to be so impactful. I am honored to be blessed with the ability to articulate myself through painting because I couldn't see myself doing anything else. It is my mission to inspire and enlighten as many people as possible on my journey. Thank you Tareesha Burton for your belief in us and giving us the opportunity to showcase our talent.

"Mother Nature" by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting on wood

12"x12"

This painting is about "Gaia" mother earth whistling to the birds secrets through the wind. I like to paint the things I see in my mind when I read stories. Art is a type of meditation for me that allows me to escape the disappointments and limitations of reality. I think creative thinking is the secret to evolution if we harness it.

"Great Balls of Fire" by Sherwin Long

Acrylic painting on canvas 

size:8"x11.5"

This painting is about me and my addiction to candy. I am sleep walking to the gum ball machine and using my super powers to melt it and eat all the candy. I painted several layers on the canvas then scraped some off in certain areas and thats how I created the texture. I painted the gum ball machine then the flame pattern after. I really like this painting because it is a metaphor.

"Lady Boston" by Sherwin Long

medium: Acrylic

size: 16"x 20"

I made this painting to represent the relationship between land and sky. A love story of two that will never touch but shall forever watch over the other. I wanted to be a little more poetic with my art because it allows me to have fun and be intellectual.

B.A.M. Boston Arts in Motion

click here to see footage from last B.A.M. Event

This event will be a great experience as we push the arts culture in Boston to the next level. I am excited for this because I will be painting an 8ft x 8ft canvas on stage as spoken word and poetry is recited. There will be body painting and art work on display. This night will celebrate and showcase the talent hidden in Boston's underground art scene. Come and enjoy the vibes and great people. Come celebrate life and individuality and expression of self. Follow on twitter 

@BosArtsinMotion @sherwinlong

"Dreaming of a Queen" by Sherwin Long

medium: graphite

size: 8"x 11"

In this drawing I drew my girlfriend the way she looked in my dream. She has always been there for me and by my side when I needed her. I love this woman and I am thankful for every moment she spends with me. Its hard to find someone who cares and wants the best for you no matter what, we have known each other since 5th grade. We are best friends and are so passionate about each other because we have grown together and seen the stages of progression through our lives from children to adults. Even though the journey has been far from easy we continue to embrace each other and are ready for anything life throws at us.

Yemi-ya by Sherwin Long

medium: graphite

size: 9"x13"

Yemi-ya is the goddess of the living Ocean, considered the mother of all. She is the source of all the waters, including the rivers of western Africa, especially the River Ogun.

Her name is a contraction of Yey Omo Eja, which means "Mother Whose Children are the Fish."As all life is thought to have begun in the sea, all life is held to have begun with Yemi-ya. She is motherly and strongly protective,she is said to be able to cure infertility in women,and cowrie shells represent her wealth.She does not easily lose Her temper, but when angered She can be quite destructive and violent, as the sea in a storm.

Yemi-ya was brought to the New World with the African diaspora and She is now worshipped in many cultures besides her original Africa. In Brazilian Candomblé, where She is known as Yemanja or Imanje, She is the Sea Mother who brings fish to the fishermen, and the crescent moon is her sign. 

As Yemanja Afodo, also of Brazil, She protects boats traveling on the sea and grants safe passage. 

I chose to portray her with a mural pattern that represents weather and the sea. Her mask has sun rays coming from the side and help to add some mystique. I drew this freehand on watercolor paper using mechanical pencil. It took me about a week because I was working on many projects. For the next version I will paint it and experiment with the background.