The Next Generation | Logan Maxwell Hagege

Logan Maxwell Hagege, Arizonaland, oil, 30 x 50.

How has your work evolved in recent years? I have been striving for more simplicity and strength in my compositions. I find that, if I rely more on my imagination than photographs, the works feel more true to my artistic voice. Not being a slave to my photo reference forces me to be more creative and challenges me to figure things out in a more intuitive way.

Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration from nature, the landscape, the people that I paint, and from my imagination. Many of my paintings start out as doodles in my sketchbook that are made up out of my head.

What are you most proud of? I am most proud of being able to live the life of an artist and exist in the world, in my own little world. I often work when most people are sleeping, or don’t work when I’d rather be spending time with my family. This freedom is something I am always grateful for.

Describe yourself in one word. Busy.

Tell us a little bit about your studio. My studio is on my property in Ojai, CA. Construction was just completed a few months ago. It is a 2,000-square-foot open space with 20-foot ceilings and an 8-by-8-foot north-light window. I have been dreaming of this exact space for the last 20 years, so I am very happy to be working here.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years? I hope to grow as an artist and get to know my subjects more deeply.

People would be surprised to learn that... I used to make surfboards and started my own (short-lived) surfboard company when I was 16 years old.

If your home or studio was on fire, what one thing would you save? Family photos.

How has the pandemic changed your art habits over the past year? It hasn’t really changed my habits, other than not having to travel to art-show openings. And I have not been able to go on my usual road trips in the desert to paint on location and take photographs.

What would you be if you weren’t an artist? This is a question that I find impossible to answer. I have been asked many times, but I can’t imagine what else I’d do. I often joke that I would be completely useless in this world as anything else but an artist. I don’t have many other skills that I could base a career on.

Favorite non-art-related thing to do? Surf.

What galleries represent your work? Maxwell Alexander Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, and New York, NY; Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ.