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Woody Long… “Woodie Long?”

“Oh, yeah! The folk artist. Yeah!

Woodie Long, was a house painter that turned artist. His folk art, primarily people, has been featured in permanent collections of museums all across the country and in books and magazines.

But, his son, Rick, is not far behind his late dad. Woodie Long did people and his son does roosters. And, for whatever reason, Rick Long’s roosters are, perhaps, just as desired as his dad’s people.

Morgan Drinkard, TroyFest co-chair, said Rick Long will be a featured artist at TroyFest 2023 and those who admire his work will probably have to wait for others to move along before getting a bird’s eye view of his roosters and other amazing “Rick Long’s”.

Long explained the “me” –roosters; the “he” people thing.

Long said, early on, he and his dad came to an agreement. They didn’t want people to think Rick was copying his dad or that he was coming close enough to his dad’s style that he was doing his work.

So, the roosters are Rick Long’s; the people are his dad’s.

When someone buys a Rick Long painting, that makes him happy knowing someone appreciates his work.

More recently, Rick Long is creating scenes from the Bible using clay on a wooden canvas. The Bible, he said, holds inspiration and the clay, “well, it’s just that simple.”

Rick Long’s booth at TroyFest 2023 will be a found place and, perhaps, a place where visitors to the arts festival will linger “Long.”