7x7x7 Series: Victoria Long
Published on September 14, 2015. Interview by 2015 Summer Intern, Aly Hancock:Victoria Long is a local artist who has exhibited with New City Arts at the New City Artist Exchange, at the Garage, and at the WVTF and Radio IQ Studio Gallery. I am excited to introduce her as the next participant in our 7x7x7 Series, which asks 7 questions to 7 Charlottesville artists and is published once a week for 7 weeks.
Images courtesy of the artist
Name one of your favorite Charlottesville places to take an out-of-town visitor.
Spudnuts.
Who is one living human who inspires your practice?
Travis Robertson is a printmaker extraordinaire, y'all.
Explain your artistic work in seven words.
ordinary, everyday, simple, funny, okay, repeat, yes
What role, if any, have mentors played in your artistic practice?
I don't know that I have had any mentors really. I have really appreciated learning from friends of mine over the years, especially about silkscreen and letterpress printing. They have taught me that there is no one right way to go about making.
Describe your ideal environment for creative work.
A table and a chair, a window, a mug of coffee, public radio on in the background, and my fiancé drawing on his own nearby.
How has your practice changed over time?
I think I try to make artwork in a more routine way nowadays. I like to work on a little something almost everyday even if it isn't any good. It feels good to just try to make small moves in the right direction.
What would you like to see more of in Charlottesville to support artists in our community?
I'd like to see more funding made available to help local artists offset the cost of day-to-day living. This is an issue that Charlottesville SOUP (which I help organize) tries to address and it would great to see similar efforts throughout our city. I am also very thankful for the opportunity I had to be a New City Arts artist-in-residence at The Haven and I'd like to see other local organizations find ways to offer free studio space to artists like that.
The opinions expressed in this interview are solely those of the artist and do not necessarily represent the policies or positions of NCAI.
Victoria Long makes drawings, zines, prints, and sometimes sculptures. Victoria’s practice is inspired by Howard Finster, the Gutai Art Association, and especially Sister Corita. In Charlottesville, Victoria has exhibited at The Garage, WVTF Radio IQ Studio & Gallery, and The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative.