Houston - Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

This minimalist oil painting on paper is part of a series, which references a mantra of Amita Bhatt’s, “life is a circus.” Floating in space, the characte...

This Watercolor on papyrus painting is one in a series of five watercolor works painted on papyrus. Here, Bhatt uses the recurring symbol of the fetu...

This Watercolor on papyrus painting is one in a series of five watercolor works painted on papyrus. Here, Bhatt uses the recurring symbol of the fetu...

This Watercolor on papyrus painting is one in a series of five watercolor works painted on papyrus. Here, Bhatt uses the recurring symbol of the fetu...

This painting on paper is a playful, yet elegant depiction of a personal mantra of Bhatt’s in which she concedes, “life is a circus.” Amita Bhatt received her BFA from the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, India and her MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland. Bhatt’s work has been exhibited at noteworthy venues such as the Bluestar Contemporary Art Center, Walters Art Museum, The Station Museum of Contemporary Art, and The Project Row Houses, all in the United States as well as Museo Pedro de Osma in Peru. She has also been the recipient of several prestigious awards and recently served as a Grant Panelist on the National Endowment for the Arts. Her works are included in many important private and public collections. Bhatt digs deep into world philosophies and mythologies to answer questions pertaining to our political as well as personal belief systems. Unafraid to explore uncomfortable territories, the artist mines from a range of sources to create hybrid creatures that are often symbolic of man’s psychological condition in an angst-ridden zeitgeist. In exploring issues of identity and violence, Bhatt’s research led her to the beginnings of mankind. Most ancient creation...

This minimalist oil painting on paper is part of a series, which references a mantra of Bhatt’s, “life is a circus.” Floating in space, the characters portrayed in this work play out their roles, while remaining unaware of the full scope of their surroundings. Amita Bhatt...

This minimalist oil painting on paper is part of a series, which references a mantra of Amita Bhatt’s, “life is a circus.” Floating in space, the characte...

This graphite and acrylic painting on canvas is from a series called "Lovers and Assassins." Here you can see Bhatt playing with the idea of seduction, self-sacrifice, persecution, b...

In this figurative abstract acrylic painting on canvas, Bhatt explores notions of life and death, the after-life, and reincarnation through the use of ancient Hindu symbolism. Amita Bhatt...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Underworld, the “Three Worlds...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Underworld, the “Three Worlds...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Underworld, the “Three Worlds...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Underworld, the “Three Worlds...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Unde...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Underworld, the “Three Worlds...

This monumental drawing on canvas is part of a series, which gives praise to mankind’s quest for wisdom and vigorous resilience. Referring chiefly to the heavens, Earth, and the Underworld, the “Three Worlds...

This work is one in a series of prints conceived during Long’s fellowship in Rome. It’s central feature is a profile of an abstract organic form nestled in a smooth gradient backgro...

This work is one in a series of prints conceived during Long’s fellowship in Rome. The texture and color of the background simulates a fluid substance, while the primary subject matt...

This work is one in a series of prints conceived during Long’s fellowship in Rome. The vertical striations along the background accentuate a sense of rhythm, while the colorful strip...

Furnished with an actual hatchet, this work demonstrates Long’s initiative to merge objects with his paintings. Establishing a sculptural component brings a further sense of tactilit...

"See Looking at See" is an acrylic painting on paper. The primary subject of this work is an abstract organic form with an eye which appears to be looking in the direction of its own physique. As the title intimates, this is perhaps commenting on the capacity of intelligent life to consider the distinction between self and other. Bert L. Long Jr., was self-taught artist, was born in 1940 in Texas, grew up the Houston’s historic Fifth Ward and received his formal education from UCLA. Following a career as a successful master chef, Long decided to devote himself entirely to art in the late 1970’s. He began to explore folk art and assemblage to create a unique body of work, attracting the attention of Jim Harithas, then Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and artists John Alexander, Salvatore Scarpitta and James Surls. His life spanned an era of radical change in the American social climate, the influence of which can be seen clearly in his work. Long’s paintings and sculptures incorporate a high level of skill and sophisticated knowledge of art history, along with complex philosophical and social issues.  Long describes the philosophy behind his work as "a quest to help people diagnose their inner self," believing his art to be "the vehicle to help facilitate the process." “As artists we have the obligation to provide the world with art which communicates as truth. I believe that art has the power to heal our souls of their afflictions. I try to create art which helps to diagnose the prevalent conditions within our societies, hopefully providing an insightfulness which will help us all become brothers and sisters united in equality and compassion”                                       - Bert L. Long, Jr. The late Peter Marzio, former Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, said of Bert Long during the major retrospective of Long’s work at the museum: “Bert Long does not avert his gaze from that which is painful, but as [his artworks] testify, he also brings a spirit of joy and redemption to his art. We can all learn from this great artist.” Over Long’s 33-year career as a painter, sculptor, and photographer, he had several solo exhibitions at respected museums and was awarded many significant awards including the National Endowment for the Arts Grant in 1987 and the prestigious international Prix de Rome fellowship in 1990. Other notable awards of Long’s include the Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts Artist of the Year Award in 2009, the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation Emergency Assistance Grant in 1997, the Houston Art League Texas Artist of the Year in 1990, the NEA Visual Artists Fellowship Grant, 1987 and the Bemis Foundation Residency in 1998. His work can be seen in over 100 private and public collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Houston Museum of Fine Art, the Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, the El Paso Museum of Art, and the Instituto de Bachillerato in Spain. With a recent solo exhibition at the Houston Museum of African American Culture and an exhibition overseas which is pending featuring his work, plus interest from several national museums, Bert L. Long Jr. continues to be recognized as an important African American artist throughout Texas, nationally and internationally. Bert L. Long, Jr. "See Looking at See" 2006 Acrylic and Charcoal on Dutch Stonehenge Paper...

Faces are a recurring motif throughout Long’s extensive body of work - especially regarding eyes and mouths. This work features a misma of matter that coagulates into an image recogn...

This work bears striking achromatic depiction of a face, contrasted by a vibrant and colorful section of watermelon. The simplicity and levity of the watermelon helps offset the emot...

This work, marked by thin washes of acrylic, depicts a floating figure with Long’s likeness hovering over what appear to be earthly materials below - perhaps an allusion to notions o...

The imagery in this work appears to be a rope pulling a colorless curtain away to reveal a gnarled tree trunk before a crimson background. Bert L. Long Jr., was self-taught artist,...

This work resembles a colorful abstraction of a terrarium inhabited by geometric and organic forms alike. Bert L. Long Jr., was self-taught artist, was born in 1940 in Texas, grew ...