As a child, Michael Longstaff lived with his family in the Netherlands, and then in Canada for several years. The Longstaff family finally settled in a small town outside of Philadelphia where they had a number of relatives and family friends who were involved in the arts. Longstaff studied drawing with his uncle, Nishan Yardumian, a well-known professional portrait painter. He also studied photography with great-uncle, the composer, Richard Yardumian.
Longstaff graduated from New York University in 1991 with a degree in Communication Arts and has been working continuously as an artist. His body of work includes mixed media painting, photo-collage, bookmaking, film and animation. While his photographs are often figurative tableaus, his paintings take the form of spiritual abstractions.
On many levels, his abstract paintings are influenced by his philosophy studies in Eastern religion and his practice of yoga. “My work wells up as an expression of my deep belief that the nature of the universe is ultimately beautiful, balanced, and expanding.”
Longstaff’s new paintings are a celebration of human resiliency. Warm red and yellow hues are woven in gracefully organized patterns. Blocks of blue, yellow and orange punctuate the canvas much like the notes on a pentagram. With strokes of order and clarity, the viewer is guided step by step, mark by mark to a comforting path of reflection and discovery. This work creates a visual topography that points to meanings that lie beneath the surface. 
Longstaff works and lives in Tucson, Arizona. He is in many private collections in Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands.