Here at Bloom, we work with over 40 artists. With all of their unique styles and individual perspectives, each artist brings entire new characters, worlds, times, and aesthetics to Bloom’s online collection, thosewhobloom.com, and our little corner of Thomas, West Virginia. Because of them, walking into the doors at Bloom is like entering a whole other universe with each of its individual galaxies. So, we thought you might like to get to know each of them just a little bit better.
First up in the series, we’d like to introduce you to Logan Schmitt!
Logan, based in Wheeling, West Virginia, has been an artist with Bloom for over four years. He takes much of his inspiration from his love of small places in the forest and uses that as a continual spark for this work. Logan uses flat, bright colors and line work to represent natural elements in a fantastical and otherworldly aesthetic with many of his pieces here at Bloom depicting the images of West Virginia. Logan has also illustrated band posters, t-shirts, and other work for clients such as The Avett Brothers, Ray LaMontagne, and Tröegs Independent Brewing, and many others.
Q: How long have you been making art? Why did you become an artist?
A: When I was 5 or 6 I made a series of comics about a little penguin that spanned several years. I would fill up stacks of ruled notebooks with them. So I guess I’ve been making art for 25 years or so, though the subject matter and style has changed over time. I became an artist because I’ve always liked creating images and I love consuming images. I have a need to create these illustrations, but I also want other people to enjoy looking at them and to hang my work in their home or find it in a thrift store in 30 years.
Q: Was being creative something that came naturally to you or something that you had to work at?
A: I don’t know if it came naturally, but I read a lot of books and watched a lot of movies and played in the woods when I was younger, and I think all that inspired me and helped foster creativity. The technical stuff is something that took a lot more noticeable work: actually learning to draw and develop a visual language.
Q: How do you come up with your subject matter?
I draw most of my inspiration from the natural world, specifically regional plants and animals. I try to present the subject in a way that is somewhat otherworldly or stylized.
Q: What does your daily routine look like when you are doing creative work?
A: I’ll get up between 7am and 9am throughout the weekdays and start with coffee and answering emails and other back-end sort of things either from home or in the studio. I’ll do some sketching, concepting, or color fills before lunch. Any inking I tend to do in the afternoon once the coffee has worn off a bit. I try to wrap up around 5 or 6 but sometimes I’ll do some drawing at night between 8 and midnight. I try to take a good amount of breaks to give my eyes and wrists a rest.
Q: Any plans in the future that you are excited about?
A: I’m excited to make more personal work and to get a better handle on the balance of being a working artist.
Q: Any advice for those pursuing being creative?
A: I would say be honest with yourself and your interests, be nice to your peers, and always try to get better at what you do.
Loved by so many, Logan’s art brilliantly captures the spirit(s) of Appalachia in a way that resonates strongly with both natives of the region and its visitors as well. For visitors, his work serves as a memento of the time spent in the forests, mountains, and lovely little towns throughout West Virginia. For long-time occupants, Logan’s art serves as a reminder of all of the reasons we choose to stay, of all of the magic that the natural elements of Appalachia hold. And for those coming across Logan’s work for the first time through Bloom’s website, it serves as a piece of that ethereal nature spirit that we take with us anywhere and connects us to the places we come from and the places we are going. Haven’t seen it yet? Take a look at some of Logan’s most popular works - WV Bears, WV opossum, and WV Wilderness.
Logan’s work continues to be an integral part of the Bloom experience, and we look forward to the art that Logan will continue to make and to sharing it with you. If you haven’t yet had the chance, we strongly encourage you to stop in or browse our website to see our collection of Logan’s work and the work on his website! And stay tuned to get to know more about the other artists we are lucky enough to represent at thosewhobloom.
