Logan Maxwell Hagege, Mesa Cloud, Zig Zag, oil, 30-inch round.
The grand reopening of Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Pasadena, California, gives a glimpse into the future of the Western art industry.
by Rochelle Belsito
When brothers Beau Alexander and Logan Maxwell Hagege opened Maxwell Alexander Gallery
11 years ago in Culver City, California, they likely only wistfully chatted about the success they would find in a largely traditional Western art market. Hagege was steadily building momentum as an artist at the time, and it was his contemporary aesthetic and fresh viewpoint that became the guiding post for what they call “the new breed of fine art.” They had around a dozen artists on their roster and big ideas in creating a space that was welcoming, collaborative and all-around fun.
“All of this stems from Logan. The movement we created wouldn’t have been done without him helping to start the gallery,” says Alexander. “This was his vision, and I do it day to day with him. That sometimes gets lost, but without him none of it exists.”
Beau Alexander and Logan Maxwell Hagege at the opening night reception for their 10-year celebration.
Admirers of the cowboy lifestyle, the pair aren’t pushing away the imagery of the past but instead are embracing new ways to tell the stories. The artists they represent are experiencing or observing the West, they work with live models and often head out on trips into the desert. Early on, along with Hagege’s work, they represented the likes of Tim Solliday, Eric Merrel and G. Russell Case, to name a few. Today their lineup features more than 30 artists with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Thomas Blackshear II, Teresa Elliott, Ed Mell, Billy Schenck, Glenn Dean, Josh Elliott and John Moyers.
“We focus on the quality of art we represent, so we’ve kept our roster of artists low,” Alexander explains. He adds that they also want to have personal connections with the artists—meaning being more than a place to just sell the artwork. They continually develop innovate ways to promote the artists and involve the collectors in the process too by focusing on sharing their knowledge. Alexander says, “We try to bring collectors behind the scenes in a way, so it feels like a big family.”
With that, the gallery complements their exhibition openings with special events or projects. For example, as a precursor to their solo show for Eric Bowman in September, they created a mini documentary where Bowman was able to talk freely about his art and show collectors his studio. Then, for the opening, the gallery hosted a live artist-on-artist interview with Hagege asking Bowman questions about his career, inspirations and more. They also have a strong social media following and use that as a way to get their collector base excited about events and upcoming drops. It has been a winning combination that has propelled the gallery and its artists into the limelight again and again.
A concept rendering for the permanent gallery home in Pasadena.
Four years after opening in Culver City, the brothers moved the gallery to a Los Angeles location that’s been their home for the past seven years. Then, quietly, in April 2023, Alexander and Hagege purchased a building in Pasadena to have a permanent space for the gallery. It’s an ideal location for their collectors as it’s in proximity to some of the great California art museums—the Autry, the Norton Museum and the Huntington Library are all within 20 minutes—and there are hotels and restaurants that have charm and aesthetic.
The gallery announced that their October 2023 exhibition for Brett Allen Johnson’s solo show Dust & Spirit would be their last at the LA location. Renovations to the Pasadena building were underway and their sights were set on the Grand Re-opening Exhibition happening January 26 to 28.
To kick off the opening weekend, the gallery will host an invitation-only VIP event with a presentation from landscape painter T. Allen Lawson. Saturday, January 27, is the public reception with a live painting demonstration. “Three or four artists, including Logan and Thomas Blackshear, will be in the gallery doing a live painting demo from the same model,” elaborates Alexander. “Guests will see how they interpret something in their own voice, live in the moment.”
Glenn Dean, Shadow Rider, oil, 60 x 40.
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- Phyllis Shafer, Conifer Dance, oil on linen, 32 x 38.
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- Billy Schenck, Phaedra’s Canyon, oil, 35 x 45.
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- Howard Post, Three Mustangs, oil, 18 x 36.
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- John Moyers, Edge of the Great Divide, oil, 18 x 24.
Approximately 50 works will be on display from gallery artists, as well as works by a few creatives who have participated as guests in some of their larger group shows. “We’re going to have landscape artist Phyllis Shafer; George G. Redden—who is the son of cowboy artist Grant Redden; and Craig Blietz,” says Alexander.
Having the permanent space is something that Alexander and Hagege don’t take lightly and they see it as a way to invest in the Southwestern art scene, the artists and the collecting community. “To be able to buy a building and have a permanent home for artists we’ve developed—even the veteran artists—is super important. This is a permanent space for the artists we work with to be able to thrive and experiment and know we’re not going anywhere,” says Alexander. “It’s forever. At least for me, it’s providing excitement for the future. It’s almost like it’s the beginning of what we’ve been talking about.”
contact information
Maxwell Alexander Gallery
1300 N. Lake Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91104
(213) 275-1060
maxwellalexandergallery.com
This story appeared in the February/March 2024 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Subscribe today to read every issue in its entirety.
Editor’s Note, 1/23/2024: Since the article was published, the grand reopening exhibition has been postponed. Visit the gallery website for updates.