The three best gifts you could give to Cindy Long are a pencil, paper, and a man with a weathered old face. Then give her a few weeks to work her magic.
The result will be a detailed, black-and-white portrait that will have you studying each line, each shadow, the eyes, the face. It will also have you wondering who he is, what he’s thinking, and what he’s experienced. And that’s exactly what Long wants.
“I want to convey the depth and personalities of my people—an emotion, a mood, the story behind the eyes,” she says, adding that the same holds true of the cowgirls she draws. “They have a self-reliance and a strength of character that shows in their faces. I respect their fortitude. They have stories to tell—and I want to tell them.”
Read the full article in the November/December 2024 issue.
Quittin’ Time
Graphite
12″ by 12.5″
Tough As Nails
Charcoal with pastel tint
10″ by 13″
