Interview
Donovan Long
Donovan started working with Acrylics in 2009 and sold his first painting in 2011. He went to Forest Park to study more about art. After witnessing the positive affects his artwork had on people, Donovan was inspired to become more professional with his craft, the company D.Long Art Show was started in 2018. He has also sold art across America and in the community. He’s been in four Art Exhibitions, dozens of Vender events, and host paint party’s in St.Louis, he hosted a Paint Party Tour Bus event March-16-24 and first solo art show May/30/24.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“When I was a kid, my mother always bought me art kits, and the first art memory I have is trading art with a friend in 5th grade. We had folders of over 100 pictures that we traded with each other at school or in class, I would draw friends name in bubble letters with simple shadow. I remember my first paint sale to a lawyer I had in 2009 and it inspired me to continue creating with acrylic.”
What inspires you?
“Painting and creating things from everyday life, trying new techniques and styles, or getting a vision from my mind to canvas, or showing people a better way through art.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Just everyday life, through my art I want people to know anything is possible and to go for your dreams.”
How would you describe your work?
“Expressive, cultural, colorful, complete, solid, and full of energy.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Picasso, for being the forefather of Turing trash into art, his huge body of work, and his different styles/periods he went through. Basquiat for starting with art created from trash to main stream with his original style no matter what his level of art was. Master P for turning his passion for music into business and made a living from it.”
“I love to go to museums when I travel, go to exhibitions, use a sketch book to write down ideas, or a series to map it out, collect reference for in life or online, or talk to other visual artist, for different angles or solutions.”
What is your creative process like?
“I love to go to museums when I travel, go to exhibitions, use a sketch book to write down ideas, or a series to map it out, collect reference for in life or online, or talk to other visual artist, for different angles or solutions.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“To show people a better way, capture moments in time, or giving people another way to express them selves, and bringing good energy to dull and dry energy locations, with there art. I see it evolving by every city will have strong art community’s to connect with each other.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I had a party bus ridding thru St.Lois to promote my first solo art show, we rode around St.Louis 6 different locations, painted on 4 large canvas for 1 or two hours depending on location, stopped for food and restroom, and took a picture at the end on the last stop at the St.Louis Art Museum.”
