Photo credit: Dylan Gordon
Logan Maxwell Hagege is an Ojai, CA-based contemporary artist with modern visions of the American West. Logan is no stranger to longtime Mountain & Prairie listeners—he first joined me on the podcast back in 2019, and he made another appearance in 2022 alongside several other renowned Western artists in an episode recorded live at Maxwell Alexander Gallery’s 10th-anniversary exhibition. In this episode, I reconnected with Logan at his Ojai studio, and we caught up on a long list of fascinating topics, including his upcoming exhibition at the Gerald Peters Gallery in New York City titled Flowers Will Grow.
Since our first podcast conversation, Logan’s artistic career has continued to skyrocket, and his work has earned the acclaim of a growing number of collectors, critics, and journalists. Most recently, his painting titled “Time and Space” won Best in Show at the Autry’s Masters of the American West show. He’s also been featured in all corners of the Western art world, including a recent spread in Western Art and Architecture and collaborations with well-known brands such as Stetson and Pendleton. But perhaps most impressively, he’s accomplished all of this success while being a deeply committed husband and father of two young children.
As you’ll hear in this conversation, Logan works extremely hard and is fully committed to exploring new realms of his artistic interests, but he brings balance and calmness to what could easily become an all-consuming obsession. I caught Logan just as he was wrapping up all the final details for his upcoming show, and we had a fun discussion about a wide range of topics, including: The intensity of preparing for a show, accepting the judgment that comes with showing art, his practice of constant doodling, how living in Ojai has changed his approach, the importance of self-talk, Georgia O’Keefe, the idea that perfection is boring, the need for action, and much more. Check out the episode notes for a full list of topics discussed and links to everything.
And if you happen to be in New York, the Flowers Will Grow exhibition will open with a reception with Logan on Thursday evening, April 18, 2024, and will be on display through May 23rd.
A huge thanks to Logan for letting me barge into his studio during such a busy time and a huge thanks to you for listening. Enjoy!
All photos by Dylan Gordon
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RESOURCES:
Topics Discussed:
- 2:45 – What the hell is happening in Logan’s studio, and his upcoming show in New York
- 5:15 – Why Logan is working with a gallery outside of Maxwell Alexander
- 7:30 – Whether Logan was nervous the last time he showed his art in New York
- 9:00 – The impact of being able to show more examples of an artist’s work
- 11:15 – How periods of intensity and external pressure have shaped Logan’s work
- 12:45 – How Logan’s art has changed since his 2018 show
- 14:30 – What a Logan’s process looks like when there isn’t external pressure from deadlines
- 17:45 – Logan’s doodling process
- 19:45 – The need for action
- 23:30 – How Logan deals with the fact that unique art will be judged
- 27:45 – Discussing perfection and how boring it is
- 28:45 – Who Logan admires
- 31:15 – Discussing Georgia O’Keefe
- 32:45 – Discussing Logan’s life in Ojai
- 40:00 – The importance of retreat for Logan’s art
- 42:00 – The impact of self-talk
- 44:30 – Discussing the new gallery
- 47:45 – Logan’s book and artist recommendations
Information Referenced:
- Logan Maxwell Hagege
- Logan’s first M&P episode
- Live at Maxwell Alexander Gallery
- Hollyhocks
- Maxwell-Alexander Gallery
- Gerald Peters Gallery
- Briscoe Western Art Museum
- Prix de West
- Masters of the American West, Autry Museum
- Georgia O’Keeffe
- Glenn Dean
- Norman Rockwell
- Ojai, CA
- Rick Ridgeway
- Tribe by Sebastian Junger
- Jocko Willink
- David McCullough
- Tim Lawson
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- Nick Offerman – Empathy, Nuance, & Good Hard Work
- Live at the Amon Carter Museum – In Conversation with James Prosek and Spencer Wigmore
- Frances Ashforth – Art, Water, and Wide-Open Spaces
- David James Duncan – Live at the Old Salt Festival
- Kathie Sever – Chainstitching, Craftsmanship, and Cosmic Western Wear
- Beau Alexander – Paying Homage to the Past, While Focusing on the Future
- Douglas Brinkley – Exploring the Past to Find Inspiration for the Future
- Chris Burkard, Part 2 – Seeking Beauty Through Adventure
Visit the podcast page for a full, searchable list of episodes
