An Interview with Logan Wayne White

B: To begin, I am curious to gain more understanding in what your earliest recollections are towards both making and developing an appreciation for art.

L: My foundation for building and design began at home from a very young age. Perhaps 3-4 years old. My favorite toys growing up were wooden building blocks and legos.  My grandfather was a builder and my father was a visionary creative, both with a deep love for architecture and design. I was pushed towards architecture throughout my schooling, but when I was in college I decided it wasn't for me. Too many roadblocks and too many voices. I realized that outside of opening my own practice I would be trapped working on someone else's vision. I met an artist in Los Angeles and from there I was hooked. I liked the freedom, the studio, the raw life, the endless possibilities and the ease in which something could be created. I didn't need licenses and approval to make work. I spent much of my free time in artists studios, helping for free and learning as I went and eventually having my own space. For the next ten years I experienced all the ups and downs that come with the artist's journey. Somewhere along the way I woke up one day and everything began to click and from there on I have just been developing upon that spiritual foundation. I owe much of my art inspirations to the following artists: Banks Violette, Cady Noland, Mark Flood, Steven Parrino, Gardar Eide Einarsson, Andrea Zittel, Urs Fischer, Mattias Faldbakken. These artists all possess a mantra for me that I hope to always stay aligned with. I owe my art career to B. Thom Stevenson, Joe Horner and Beau Allen Collins. Without these artists believing in me I would have quit. 

B: First off, thank you for that shoutout - that’s really kind of you to say. The feeling is mutual. Much of what I’ve set out to do here is about supporting and sharing great work, so hearing that gives me a reason to keep going as well. I find it interesting that your favorite toys growing up were wooden blocks, a medium that depends entirely on your imagination - and that later, architecture felt limiting because of all the external constraints. It seems like those early experiences with open-ended play may have instilled a love for freedom and authorship that eventually led you to art. So my question is: do you see a through-line between those early acts of play and the way you approach making work now?

L: