In the Studio with Abstract Artist Joel Longenecker

Joel Longenecker’s textural paintings tell a story of the Earth, wrestled onto canvas in slabs and layers that pulse with the memory of ancient landscapes and many seasons at once. His large colorful surfaces are as rugged as shovel-ripped sod, alive with movement, somewhat crude, yet engaging. Deeply reflective of his impassioned relationship with nature as well as his concern for ecological breakdown due to human impact, his works feel more excavated than painted: thick, clay-like oil built up and scraped back, embedded with crushed coral, fossilized plastic animals, and more.

Longenecker’s process is a physical dialogue with nature’s cycles—growth and decay, buildup and erosion, creation and destruction—mirroring the slow churn and tumult of geologic time in every brushstroke.  In an era defined by environmental upheaval, Longenecker’s art gives the Earth a voice, inviting us to witness—and perhaps to reckon with—the profound interconnectedness and vulnerability of the natural world. His canvases are not mere representations but topographical relics, where pigments transcend their materials to become blurred fields, stone, and moss—each painting a world unto itself, as immersive as the landscape outside his windows. 

These days, especially, he draws inspiration from his daily dance between the creative work in his studio, tending to his lush garden between soil and sky, and the lush and generous bounty of the Hudson Valley, which is his veritable muse. 

The result: visceral canvases that not only speak for the Earth but also seem to embody it. Want to know more about Joel and his process? Read our Exclusive Interview below…

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Joel Longenecker: I grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where my family has been rooted for generations. My journey as a painter began there, with a series of large, plein-air landscape paintings of my grandparents’ farm. After graduating from college and then from graduate school, I moved to New York City in 1990, establishing a studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Twenty years and two kids later, my wife and I were ready for a change. We had always loved visiting the Hudson Valley, so moving here felt like a natural fit for us.

What inspired you to become a painter, and what was your journey?

Joel Longenecker: Even as a child, I had the temperament to work for hours on end by myself, making things, building Lego sculptures, drawing, painting, or practicing the piano and saxophone. Naturally, after high school, I was drawn to art school and ultimately attended the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. I immersed myself in studio art but was uncertain about the direction I wanted my work to take. However, two remarkable exhibitions I saw then were instrumental in helping me find the focus I was looking for: Van Gogh’s landscape paintings in the exhibition Van Gogh in Arles at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and a survey of Willem de Kooning’s paintings at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Experiencing those paintings during that pivotal time in my life was transformative, and I knew I wanted to become a painter.

Tell us about your work, your process, and what inspired your landscapes and themes.

Joel Longenecker: I construct each painting with thick, clay-like oil paint that reflects the geological layers of the earth, from the solid bedrock to the crusty topsoil. As I build up these layers, I scrape through the surface like a glacier carving through the earth, shaping each piece into its final topographical form. I aim to make paintings that resemble slabs of earth that have been cut out, tilted forward, and hung on a wall. I want my work to inspire a love for the natural world, encourage environmental advocacy, and highlight our interconnected ecosystems. Ultimately, I want to give the Earth a voice and let it tell its story.

You are also an avid gardener. How does your studio time influence your time in the garden and vice versa?

Joel Longenecker: At this point, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to differentiate between my painting and my landscaping projects. While I’m working outside, I often think about painting, and when I’m painting, I draw inspiration from my garden. For me, the powerful, mysterious, and regenerative processes in both activities are what connect them. On a fundamental level, both require endless patience and the need for long-term planning.

Most importantly, both pursuits teach us that things rarely go as planned and many ideas don’t work out at all. Gardening and painting are active processes—they are not static. They are ongoing and evolving, where one thing naturally leads to another. Both require hands-on, physical labor, and I find myself equally exhausted from both activities!

What is one question you’re constantly asked, or the biggest misconception about your work?

I find that labeling things—both in art and in life—can be problematic and often stifles creative thinking. I dislike labels such as “abstraction” or “representation.” It bothers me when someone takes a quick glance at my work and categorizes it as an “abstract painting.” I don’t consider myself an abstract painter because I’m not interested in abstraction. I’m focused on the physical, real world, and observable natural phenomena. I want my work to feel like a genuine piece of the world itself, rather than a facsimile, representation, or abstraction of it.

What impact does your work have on your community?

Joel Longenecker: I’m grateful to live in a region with a vibrant and lively arts community. Together, artists play a significant role in shaping the social, cultural, and economic fabric of our area. Wherever there is a thriving arts scene, you are likely to find various entrepreneurs close by.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

Joel Longenecker: For my studio work, I feel lucky to have a few wonderful art shops close by: The Rhinebeck Artist Shop and Catskill Art Supply are both great. For my gardening supplies, I love Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens, The Phantom Gardener, and Mac’s Agway is indispensable!

What is missing in the area that you wish we had?

Joel Longenecker: We clearly have a housing shortage and an affordability issue. Many young people are being priced out of living here, which is a significant concern.

What makes living in the Hudson Valley special for you?

Joel Longenecker: This landscape, so rich in history and with its storied place in the context of American art, provides me with endless inspiration. I have a particular interest in Frederic Edwin Church, both in terms of his painting and what I believe to be the creation of his magnum opus: Olana. For him, Olana represented a holistic endeavor that integrated his ideas about art, architecture, landscape design, and environmental conservation into one living, evolving artwork. Now, one hundred and twenty-five years later, I find myself responding to the same landscape and contemplating those same issues and challenges.

Local Love: What local business should we know about?

Joel Longenecker: As far as food… I love Tivoli Bread and Baking, Giobatta, both in Tivoli, and, of course, Holy Cow Ice Cream in Red Hook!  I’m also a bit of a film buff and love Upstate Films and Time & Space Limited (TSL) in Hudson.

Who or what inspires you personally?

Joel Longenecker: In addition to the scores of artists that I draw inspiration from, I find inspiration in everyone who’s been showing up and engaging with our body politic:  attending rallies, speaking up to protect our democracy, and fighting for social justice and for environmental protections.

What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite ways to unwind and unplug when you are not painting?

Joel Longenecker: To unwind from gardening, I paint. To unwind from painting, I garden. Other than that, I’m an avid listener of audiobooks and a fan of good movies.

Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to know.

Joel Longenecker: Hmmm… I’m pretty much an open book with few surprises or plot turns.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Joel Longenecker: I’d love to travel back in time to visit the Beckwith family, who lived in our house starting in 1811. What fun it would be to sit in our shared dining room and have dinner with Nathan and Betsy Beckwith and their eleven kids!

What is your current state of mind?

Joel Longenecker: I believe we’re living in an era of rapid and possibly unprecedented change, making it difficult not to feel its impact. Political division, climate change, and the unknown consequences of artificial intelligence are transforming our daily lives, shaping our experiences, and altering the way we interact with one another. In this context, I feel that the arts have never been more important. The arts teach us empathy and compassion, allowing us to gain insights into others’ perspectives and identities. When we experience a performance or view a work of art, we can feel inspired, humbled, and connected to a larger community. Now, more than ever, we need real, tangible experiences. Part of my desire to create large-scale, textured, physical paintings is a response to the smooth, sleek surfaces of screens that dominate so much of our time.

Photos courtesy of Josh Longenecker + littlebitcreates

Follow/Connect with Josh Longenecker via Website | Instagram

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See more of our IN THE STUDIO WITH… Artist Series:

In the Studio with Mixed Media Artist Yoko Izu

In the Studio with Contemporary Artist Andrew Lyght

In the Studio with Multimedia Artist David McIntyre

In the Studio with Experiential Artist Amanda Russo Rubman

In the Studio with Bespoke Ceramicist R.A. Pesce

In the Studio with Artist Elizabeth Keithline

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About littlebitcreates

Richard Hall and Mimi Young are the creative forces behind littlebitcreates. They produce a variety of projects, including in-depth artist profiles, event-specific promotional videos, and music videos. Their approach is exciting, innovative, and contemporary. In addition to their client work, Hall and Young collaborate with other creatives to create multidimensional, neo-surreal videos as part of a noncommercial venture. Littlebitcreates emerged from the extensive knowledge Hall and Young gained over 30 years of experience in photo shoots and multimedia art. They exclusively shoot all of their videos on iPhones, appreciating the distinctive aesthetic it produces and the comfort it offers their subjects in front of the camera.

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