Open Studio Art Sale August 30-31, 2025 (in person only)

August 16, 2025

Conversation with Cecil Touchon

July 27, 2024

[CT] You have had a long active life as an artist. At the age of 90, looking back over your creative life, how did it get started and develop over time?

[MEL] My journey through these last 60 years as an artist started when I was a mother of 2 sons living in a university community. The community was a resource for my growth - night time painting classes, backyard art sales, attending art events at the university. I socialized with a variety of creative people ( musicians, actors, dancers and visual artists). I observed the dedication and involvement that these people brought to their work and that impressed me. I learned so much from projects doing together - filmmaking, dancing, and costuming.

[CT] Yes, I had very similar college experiences. In fact I actively thought of the college as a resource for studio space, equipment, for conversations with other art students, incorporating wisdom and insight from my professors into my own way of thinking. All of that close quarters interaction with other creatives I found to be formative for myself. I still, to this day, have the words of several of my teachers come to mind when I am working. I went to college off and on from 1974 to 2009. As an artist you don’t actually need a degree. It is basically worthless since, as an artist you don’t plan to use the degree for getting a job. You just want the knowledge, the art community connections and the skill set. That is where the value is.

[MEL] My studio was a center for neighbor kids to make art. I learned from them - their natural approach to their art expressions.

My first exhibiting experiences grew from open studios - sharing with other community artists to joining an artist cooperative gallery. Eventually I entered art competitions and gained gallery representation. Through these experiences I wasn't saddened about rejections - the participation was the point - entering the big world of art.

[CT] I agree that you cannot take rejection personal. You only want to have representation by dealers that understand and are engaged in what you are doing. Everybody else doesn’t really matter, they are background noise.

OM.2022.011 - Mary Ellen Long - USA - LETTER OF JAPAN - collage on paper - 11.75 x 9 inches - gift of the artist

[MEL] When my children were in their teens I returned to college to earn degrees. The experience opened my eyes to various media - My painting and printmaking led to making artists' books and papermaking These forms of media educated me about mixed media and collage.

[CT] That make a lot of sense looking at your collages, there is clearly a true reverence for the book arts and papermaking and documents and it seems the foundation for your aesthetic.

[MEL] A move from California to the mountains of Colorado and travel experiences lead to involvement in environment art installations which has informed my work to the present time.

[CT] I love Southern Colorado too. You live in the Durango area, we lived in Pagosa Springs for a number of years then moved a little further south to the high desert. Nisa continued her education at UNM. Rosalia loved the mountains and the pine forest in the Pagosa Springs area and we spent many a day traveling the hour over to Durango where Nisa was born and where she went to school later for her freshman year at Fort Lewis College in Durango.

[MEL] I learned over the years that there is not one right way to enter into the world of art. Being an artist without school first was a perfect way for me. I was inspired by artists that I discovered through going to the art spaces, travel, and researching the art sections in libraries. Continuously soaking up art, having crushes on artists of the past or present.

[CT] I agree, every artist is self-taught in the end and must find their own unique way into the world of art and we are all talking to each other across the generations through our work. So, what would you say, what advice or suggestions or insights would you share with young artists looking to pursue their creative life for a lifetime?

[MEL] I would tell younger artists:

“Look at and study the art in the past and of contemporary times - weave other artists' ideas into your work.”

It is true that artists get their ideas from other artists. To young artists I say:

“Think about of your artmaking as a mediation - just solely for you alone.”

The joy and pleasure follows when you share your art with others - leaving a part of yourself and your discoveries for others to experience.

Mary Ellen Long was born in Los Angeles and lived in North San Diego County before moving to Durango, Colorado 34 years ago. A multi-media artist, she exhibits throughout the wide world of art. She received BA and MA degrees from San Diego State and has received grants from the Colorado Arts Council. Mary Ellen has been a featured artist at The Center for Book Arts in New York City and has been an artist-in-residence at Edgemont Highlands in Durango creating outdoor environmental art for 9 years. Her book art has been placed in collections such as the Sackner Archive, MOMA Library, UCSD Special Collections, The Athenaeum in La Jolla, California and the National Museum for Women in the Arts Library. A recent retrospective “Journey of the Artist” was shown at Fort Lewis College Art Gallery in Durango, Colorado.
https://www.maryellenlongart.com/

Conversation with Cecil Touchon, Summer, 2024

Tagasode: Kimono Project

May 24, 2024

June 7-23, 2024, The ink-Shop Gallary Ithaca, New York

October 8, 2023

November 14, 2022

Homage to Nature Writers, The Botanical Garden, Durango, CO Library,

November 14, 2022

Reimagined: The Artist's Book

February 15, 2022

Cannon Gallery, City of Carlsbad, CA ( 1775 Dove Lane) February 27- May 15, 2022

The work that will be displayed is a broad spectrum from innovative designed books to beautifully sculpted or altered artist books and boxes. The creative force of the featured artists is demonstrated by their ingenuity in re-imagining book forms as sculpture, decorating in new ways and using unconventional materials

Five works of mine are included.

Opening reception is Saturday, February 26, 5-7 PM

COLLECTION: MARY ELLEN LONG

July 2, 2018

OPENING RECEPTION, SATURDAY, JULY 7

THE ART LIBRARY at the DURANGO ARTS CENTER

STUDIO WORKSHOPS 2018

May 1, 2018

MARY ELLEN LONG 209 El Diente Drive, Durango

COLLAGE -May 26

basic techniques/understanding of adhesives/composition/a little history

ASSEMBLAGE - June 23 and July 14

creating 3-D art with found materials and mixed media techniques/a little history

PAPER-MAKING - July 21

basic “kitchen” techniques/western & eastern style methods/emphasis on local fibers

SCULPTURAL PAPER-MAKING - August 25

working with long paper-making fibers we will explore casting natural &

manmade objects & creating varied containers & dimensional art

BOOK ARTS - October 20

review of styles/bindings & sculptural forms/individual projects

all workshops - beginning to experienced

small classes and consultation on individual projects

all materials supplied

10-4 $75.

INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

wmelart@yahoo.com

FALL WORKSHOPS - Mary Ellen Long -El Diente Studio

August 3, 2017

ASSEMBLAGE - September 16 - creating 3-D art (sculpture & box) with found materials and mixed media techniques/a little history

PAPER MAKING - SEPTEMBER 23 - basic “kitchen” techniques/western & eastern style methods emphasis on local fibers. Casting of natural & manmade objects included

BOOK ARTS - October 21 - review of styles/bindings & sculptural forms/individual projects

all workshops - beginning to experienced, small classes and consultation on individual projects

all materials supplied / 10-4 / $75.

INFORMATION & TO REGISTER - wmelart@yahoo.com

maryellenlongart.com

Collage Workshop

July 1, 2017

July 8, 10-4 (basic techniques/understanding of adhesives/composition/a little history & use of artists 35 year history of collecting collage materials) all workshops : beginning to experienced participants welcome, small classes and consultation on individual projects, all materials supplied $75. wmelart@yahoo.com to sign-up and other information

WUNDERKAMMERS - Exhibit of Alicia Bailey, Denver artist

May 4, 2017

May 5-July 1 The Art Library, Durango Arts Center. 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Opening Reception May 5 at 5-7 PM

REACTION/ACTION

February 22, 2017

I am part of a 30 artist collaborative installation at Studio &, Durango, CO Reception Friday night, February 24, 2017.

I have printed many strips of paper with positive reactions. The strips are weighted down with copper wire wrapped crushed newspaper* balls - *T. headlines

Open House and Studio Sale

November 26, 2016

OPEN HOUSE AND STUDIO SALE

MARY ELLEN LONG

DECEMBER 3 & 4 Sat. & Sun.

10-4

209 EL DIENTE DRIVE, DURANGO (Edgemont

COLLAGE, SCULPTURE, PRINTS, DRAWINGS. MIXED MEDIA

PAINTINGS, ART OBJECTS, BOX ART, ARTISTS’ BOOKS

New Video Link

October 18, 2016

Forest Stories: Book Arts from the Environmental Studio of Mary Ellen Long showcases a selection of artists' books that explore themes of nature, ritual, process, and time. The works come from the Long's personal collection and from the University Libraries' Fine Press and Artists' Books Collection.

Exhibit runs through November 28th

The talk I did for the opening last month is now posted on the Library website

http://videocast.du.edu/video/forest-stories-book-arts-from-the-environmental-studio-of-mary-ellen-long

University Libraries, Anderson Academic Commons (AAC)

University of Denver

2150 E. Evans Avenue, Denver CO 80208

303.871.3074