An interview with West Virginia illustrator & band poster designer extraordinaire, Logan Schmitt!
Q: Tell us a bit about who you are, where you grew up, and your background as an illustrator and band poster artist!
A: I’m an illustrator based in Wheeling, WV, where I live and work with my wife Rachael. I went to the Columbus College of Art & Design where I majored in Illustration and minored in Fine Arts. This is where I learned to silkscreen which was enormously helpful in making gigposters for bands because most of them are run as limited edition screenprints. When I was still in college I started reaching out to bands to see if they wanted in poster or apparel work done. A few said yes and it all just grew from there!
Q: How has Appalachia inspired your work & what is your favorite part of living in Wheeling?
A: I grew up next to a big ol’ forest here in Wheeling and I was out there playing in the woods CONSTANTLY. On top of that I’ve always really loved animals and nature so when I started drawing seriously this is where I pulled most of my inspiration from. The local wildlife and my many times exploring the woods in Appalachia. My favorite part about living in Wheeling is the community. When something new and interesting is happening there are so many people that will not only come out and support what you’re doing but they might even help you make it happen or add to it. It’s really cool to see.
Q: What are some consistent themes in your work you hope resonate with the viewer?
A: I really just want people to look at and appreciate nature more. If I can inspire someone to start birdwatching or look under more logs for salamanders then I’ll be happy. I want my work to feel familiar to people but for them to feel like they’re discovering something, as well. Someone described my art as “woodland esoterica” once and I’ve always felt like that was kind of the theme of my work.
Q: What does a typical day of creating look like for you?
A: We usually get up between 7-9am. We walk to get our coffee in the morning (usually at Table 304). When it’s nice out we’ll sit by the river and watch the baby groundhogs. Once we get home, I usually start with e-mails and other admin sort of things. I try to move on to drawing by noon and work straight until around 6pm to wrap things up. Dinner, reading, and television usually follow.
Q: What does the next year look like for you artistically?
A: Right now it’s looking like more gigposters for bands and festivals! I’ve got a zine I’m working on that I’ll hopefully be releasing in the Fall. I’d love to do more sketching and drawing purely for practice too. More nature studies. And of course there will be one or two more North American Icons prints.