Sammy Long is a native of Greenville, Mississippi and a resident of Brandon, Mississippi. He is happily retired from many years of work in the gas pipeline industry. He began his career as a machinist and first learned to turn on a metal lathe as a young adult.
Together Sammy and his wife, Maureen, are the parents of 3 daughters and 3 sons. When the youngest girls were teenagers, Sammy decided he needed a workshop outside of the home in order to maintain his sanity. His father-in-law, also a father of 4 daughters, cared deeply for Sammy and contributed to the cause by offering Sammy a wood lathe. In no time, Sammy found his passion. He began turning candle sticks, weed pots, and baby rattles. He sold them at gift shops and small craft shows around the Mississippi Delta. Knowing that he wanted to develop his skills, Sammy began traveling to Magnolia Woodturners meetings in Jackson and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, driving 2 to 4 hours there and back for Saturday meetings. His earliest mentors were Web Stribling and Charlie White. These club members have patiently and caringly critiqued his work and shared their knowledge through the years. Sammy was in awe of their work and never imagined that his work could ever compare to theirs, however, he continued to grow as a turner.
He began attending classes at The Appalachian Center for Crafts in Cookeville, Tennessee. His wife teases him about his annual summers there and compares his classes to summer camp with his friends. Sammy always invites local turners to go with him and each year they come back with new skills and new ideas. The master turners who have taught Sammy have inspired him and their influences are apparent in his work.
In 2004 Sammy’s day job took him to Madisonville, Kentucky and as soon as he settled in he joined IKI Woodturning Club in Evansville, Indiana. He continued to develop and during this time, his work began to be recognized as art. He began to enter juried art shows and because of the quality of his work was selected to be a member of the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program. He continued to study with master turners and began to demonstrate for local clubs. He began to sell his work from home and through local gift shops. His greatest pleasure came from making special order pieces that were one of a kind for friends and family members. For example, when his mother-in-law passed away, he made each of her 5 children a special Christmas ornament made from the wood from a peach tree that had been in her yard.
In 2008, Sammy and his wife decided to return to Mississippi where most of their children had settled and started their families. Sammy retired from his job and was able to devote a little more time to his turning while working part time as a contractual inspector on a job by job basis. Sammy returned to the Magnolia Woodturners Club. He applied for and was accepted into the Mississippi Craftsmen’s Guild. He began to display his work in the Mississippi Craft Center and also began doing demonstrations there. He became a frequent demonstrator in the local club specializing in centering bowls and vessels, turning hollow forms, piercing, and most recently, carving. It’s not uncommon for turners to come by Sammy’s shop at home for lessons or tips. He has recently begun teaching classes at the Guild and is scheduled to begin teaching at the Appalachian Center for Crafts.
Sammy has been an avid student of the art for the past 16 years. When he returns from a class, symposium, or demonstration, he continues to study and practice what he has learned. Whether the demonstrator is a well known artist or a local craftsman, Sammy is open to exploring new ideas or techniques. He comes back excited and enthusiastic about the next project. Once he has practiced what he has learned, he is always eager to share with his fellow turners. Those who have directly influenced Sammy’s work have been John Jordon, Binh Pho and Dixie Biggs.
Sammy enjoys turning and treasures the friendships he has made since becoming a wood turner. His neighbors know how to get him out of the house or shop if they need him. All anyone has to do is engage a chain saw and he comes running to see what kind of wood might be up for grabs. If he gets lucky, Sammy visits again in a few weeks with a beautiful vase or bowl to offer in return. He turns with people from all walks of life. Some enjoy the fellowship and others enjoy learning and being inspired by their fellow turners. Most are interested in learning something new. To sum it all up, all I can say is there’s a lot more to it than turning something round!