Logan Ledford, originally hailing from Baton Rouge, is a New Orleans based artist, who projects her modern and minimalistic vision onto the canvas, creating a beautifully bright piece of artwork. Growing up exposed to the art world, Logan has been able to channel her experiences and inspirations to create emotional works of art that almost seem tangible and organic as they are filled with depth and texture while having a perfect sense of space. Scrimshaw got the opportunity to talk with Logan about her artwork. She was bubbly, bright, and passionate allowing us to understand why she was so dedicated to her craft. Here is Logan Ledford, chaos – organized:
It’s hard in life, let alone in your mid-twenties, for most people to quit their 9-5 jobs, and devote their full time to their passions. How and when did you decide to quit and start this new venture?
I’ve always painted, since I was like 3 years old. It’s currently a creative side project and an outlet that I have always enjoyed. I used to do graphic work as a profession, which was great experience, but not as fun to work on sometimes, so painting was the perfect outlet for me. I feel like everything happens for a reason, so I started getting commission work on the side and had a blog for a while and would post my projects and artwork on it. It takes a lot of time to do the art and manage the blog, and my full time job was taking away from this. But when I could, I posted my own artwork and people responded well to it. That was it for me.
Have you found any specific online social media platforms that worked for you besides the blog to get your name out there?
So I’ve actually had my pinterest account since they were in Beta, so I have had my account for a while. It has been amazing for me and people have actually emailed me to do pieces for them and commission work. I asked them how they heard about me, and it was because of my posts from pinterest. It’s so visual, and people just rabbit hole and find pieces they like.
The first pieces that someone emailed you for commission, what was that piece?
It was my color spots piece, which is my most notable work. I have a couple different series that are getting more popular, but the color spots has been my most popular.
Color Spots by Logan Ledford || Photo: John Bihm
How did you come up with that concept?
I was just playing around with print making. I used to do a lot of screen printing and then I just started doing mono prints of different things. So my series stemmed from that and I kind of added paint to the concept. I went to Europe and took a bunch of pictures of buildings and from that I really wanted to do some sort of abstract painting. So I color blocked out all of the shapes with different color paint, turned the block over, printed it onto the paper, let it dry and illustrated on top of it. That was the first time I did anything like my current series. From there, I started simplifying it and noticed when I put a few drops of paint together, and when it printed, it basically came out like a circle when pressed from the middle. So now I use a clear plastic to see the colors and to push down in the right direction to guide where I want my piece to go.
Its awesome how you started with something so different and it transformed into this current series.
Right, I love those happy accidents. It’s a technique that has been evolving for me over four years. And since I did graphic design for so long, my pieces are also somewhat influenced by that, especially in the way I organize the thick acrylic paint within the spots.
Yea, it almost feels like your pieces are tangible and filled with so much texture. It’s awesome how it came from a concept and photography to a textured color spot. Which, perfectly sums up how you describe your work on your website as you “changing with the tides”. That concept resonates with us and our vibe at Scrimshaw. In tangent with that, your oyster pieces are so awesome.
I love oysters and seafood. I grew up on the Gulf, so it is an important part of my life. I have always thought oysters were really pretty on the inside. I also really love instillation art so they are always something I have played with and painted. But, they seem like they are a fad right now.
Oysters are hot right now.
Haha, they really are! So I use them and people love them and they are pretty and simple and people respond well to how they are repurposed.
The ones with the eyes are amazing. The gold stripes in the new series is awesome, but the eyes are so tight.
Those are my favorite. Some people get creeped out on them, but I love them. I also have a bunch of oysters that I painted curse words on. I just thought it would be fun. I want to do a big piece with the oysters like that.
You also paint these larger pieces that have this gold, oyster-like shape on them.
Yea, that’s my newest series, and that’s even more simplified and minimalistic take on my color spot. I really like the concept and I draw inspiration from Ellsworth Kelly. I am inspired by the organic shapes of his and I channeled it into my pieces.
Gold Color Spot: Logan Ledford || Photo: John Bihm
So where do you do all of these pieces? Do you rent a studio from like an art collective?
Ha yea it is kind of a collective of artists. It’s a really really old house in the Bywater, and it has amazing architectural features. It has no heat or AC but it’s an amazing place to do my work.
Ha, it sounds like the perfect place for inspiration and it sounds like you are embodying the artist lifestyle.
Haha definitely and it’s really nice to have artists in the building but it is tougher working totally alone on my pieces sometimes. You miss that person to person interaction at a big company. And it’s crazy to have to schedule all your time on your personal projects that are actually my work.
Totally, it must be really tough to budget how much time to spend between the actual art, showcasing it, and social media. But when it comes down to it, it’s all about your art. Do you find that what you are currently painting, with acrylic and canvas, is your favorite medium?
Yes, I definitely prefer painting on canvas. But I also have been experimenting on Birch Pannel. Its really awesome. All of my oyster pieces are on them.
That’s amazing. We have to check those out! Did any of this experimenting come from your photography of architecture and traveling you did while you were abroad?
Yea, being overseas was really influential to me. I not only explored cities but I am a museum wanderer and was also able to see different museums. My favorite period of painting is impressionistic period. It had a big influence on me with the texture of paint and their inclusion of movement and depiction of light within the paintings.
Whether it is an impressionist painter or not, are there any artists you feel most connected with or influenced you the most?
I would have to say Ellsworth Kelly and Helen Frankenthaler. She was one of the first people who tried to water down oil paintings. Even though they were oil, she added an ingredient to them which created a cool runny effect.
Awesome, and we can see some of that style within your abstract paintings.
Yea totally, I like to draw my inspirations from artists and my surroundings. I love how inspiration can taken from anywhere and then form into a new idea, which can be represented in an art form.
We totally agree. And you have really succeeded in doing just that. Logan, we really want to thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, both your artwork and your passion are truly inspiring.
Thank you so much! I had so much fun. Great speaking with you guys!
Check out Logan Ledford's Gallery HERE, you will not be disappointed!
