Frank W. Long

Like any other craftsmen during the Depression, fine artists of all talents had difficult times supporting themselves solely with their skills. The demand for art was very low and job prospects were limited. Frank W. Long was an artist in Illinois who took on many different kinds of day jobs. Working as a cake decorator and a busboy kept him afloat and gave him time to paint on his own. On occasion Long would be commissioned by a rich patron to paint, but in most cases it was a struggle to keep food on the table. Long eventually became a well-known mural painter for the WPA (Works Progress Administration). The WPA was one of President Roosevelt's New Deal Agencies that employed artists in many different capacities including creating sculpture, graphic design, and murals. Long's post office and library...