A three-time cancer survivor, artist Suzi Long’s motto is Only those who risk going too far know how far it is possible to go.

“You could say I went rogue when I moved into the 21-foot RV in 2019,” says the artist, who makes and sells her work in Northern California. “I had a six-month COVID trip around the west, meeting almost no one… But I captured lots of barn photos to paint!”

It isn’t barns right now but birds that have been one of her most successful projects to date. Her “Feathered Feetures” series of birds sporting fancy footwear successfully debuted at Willits Center for the arts in 2021. She has recently had shows at John Hanes Gallery in Mendocino and at Sportsman’s Park Gallery in Fort Bragg. 

In addition, Suzi sells cards, matted prints and small original watercolors at local art and craft fairs and is ramping up an online sales platform. 

In further a whimsical touch, each of the artist’s images is accompanied by a short writeup online. “Night Owl” for example, besides rocking the on-point pink slip-ons, offers the following monologue in rhyme: 

“The sun comes up, it’s time for bed, so I put on my slippers. 

I’d rather have the slip-on kind than ones that might have zippers. 

Warm and fuzzy soft and pink, they’re quite stunning, don’t you think?”

Suzi Long, Night Owl, watercolor and permanent ink on paper

Her 21-foot 2002 Winnebago Vista serves as a good studio, she says, 

But if converting an RV into a live-in studio (Monet’s Bateau-atelier comes to mind) is going rogue, what’s it called when you operate your own pastel gallery in an 1870’s water tower? Because Suzi’s done that too.

Suzi ran her water tower gallery in Mendocino from 2006 to 2018. The structure just caught her eye, and when she discovered it had a “For Rent” sign on it, she jumped in. Running a gallery is never easy, but she ended up making it work and teaching during the off-season, sticking with it for over a decade.

Suzi Long’s water tower studio in Mendocino, CA

For now, Suzi’s parked the RV. “I have been doing a lot of housesitting locally because the gas prices are so high,” she says. “It makes no sense to go on the road right now.”

Still, one gets the impression that whatever life brings, there’s a good chance she’ll be ready to roll with it.

Quail in Trainers

“I got me some running shoes with traction on the sole. 

They help me to run really fast, though I don’t have a goal! 

I can win most any race against another bird …

but I just raced two hummingbirds and dang! I came in third!

The artist sells prints of the birds-with-shoes paintings (along with their accompanying verses in rhyme) on her website.

Painting animals is a learned skill! If you’d like to study up on how to render believable birds, dogs, horses, cats, and more, check out some of the great teaching videos available here.