Bert Long Jr.

Bert Long Jr. (1940–2013)[1] was a chef, painter, photographer, sculptor, and a founder of Project Row Houses.

[5] He attended culinary school in Los Angeles and first worked as an executive chef in a fine-dining chain before opening his own restaurant "Big Bert’s" in Oregon.

Afterward, he returned to California to work as executive Sous-chef at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.

Connie was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1997 and died in 1998 shortly after the couple moved back to Texas.

[3] Long's first exhibition was at the art gallery at the MGM Grand where he worked as an executive sous chef, and the experience inspired a major career change.

[8] Long was included in the important group show Fresh Paint at MFAH in 1985 and was awarded an National Endowment for the Arts grant in 1987.

[9][8][4] The Looscan mural Art/Life (2008) references seventeen masterpieces, including those of Rembrandt and Da Vinci, and depicts a self portrait of Long steering a ship sailing towards the horizon over turbulent, shark-filled waters.