Shag Galleries Artist Is an Icon in Palm Springs
Josh Agle is the heartbeat of the art scene in Southern California. Now known as Shag, the legendary artist uses vintage illustration to convey sharp, modern messages about society today. Despite his edgy humor, Shag is a family man who enjoys a mellow SoCal life in a midcentury home. His home sits quietly in a wooded valley, reflecting his love for peaceful living and timeless design. In 2009, Shag opened his own store, dedicated entirely to showcasing and selling his wildly popular artwork. Today, the store remains a must-see spot for both tourists and native Californians who admire his unique style.
At the height of his career, Shag still works passionately and shows no signs of slowing down soon. He recently spoke with LOCALE Magazine about his career, inspirations, and blending creativity with a sharp business mindset. His entrepreneurial spirit has helped elevate his art to worldwide fame, capturing hearts with every piece he creates.
Expert: Josh Agle
Credentials: Painter, Illustrator, Designer of Shag
Fun Fact: His favorite piece, he always says, āIs the one Iām working on now!ā
Q: How did you begin painting/illustrating and what inspired your first piece of artwork?
Josh Agle: I have been painting and drawing since I was a young child. Therefore I donāt have a memory of my first piece of art. I do remember my first piece of āShagā art, which I painted in 1989 for a band album-cover. I wanted to capture a vintage jazzy cartoon style with a little flat cubism thrown into the mix.
Q: Your art merges retro illustration inspirations with a contemporary edge that speaks so well to modern day society. How did you hone in on defining your signature aesthetic?
JA: In my paintings, I try to capture the spirit of 1950s and ā60s commercial illustration styles. I use that visual style to express contemporary ideas about todayās culture, society, and the world we live in. The art often has a dark sense of humor and sometimes includes macabre details absent from midcentury works. The styleāoften called retroāis just the clothing, not the heart, of the paintingās themes and deeper narratives.
Q: What is the key message that youād like people to take from your artwork?
JA: I donāt think thereās a single distinct message, but there are recurring themes: the joys and dangers of consumerism, the importance of relationships and friendships to counterbalance the material world, and the importance of play and leisure to depressurize the responsibilities of adulthood.
Q: How does your art and personal style merge to inspire your approach for Shag?
JA: My earliest paintings were aspirational; I was paintings things I wanted to own, places I wanted to be, and situations I wanted to take part in. As my career as an artist progressed, I was able to make my real life look more and more like the paintings. I live in a mid-century house full of the same kind of furniture and art you see in my paintings, complete with a party-friendly swimming pool and hillside view.
Q: Whatās the story behind the name āShagā?
JA: Shag is simply the last two letters of my first name, Josh, combined with the first two letters of my last name, Agle. I wanted something memorable to sign on my art; it wasnāt my intention that people would call me Shag, but over time thatās what happened, and now the Shag name is much better known than my original name.
Q: What inspired the initial opening of Shag, and what were some of the challenges you faced along the way?
JA: My business partners in the Shag Store, Jay and MiShell Nailor, established an important gallery in Palm Springs, M Modern Gallery, around 2003. The gallery, which sold the work of many artists, began to see my share of their sales increase over time to the point where most of the galleryās income came from my art. In 2009, Jay and MiShell proposed we open a gallery dedicated specifically to my work. I said yes, mainly because I thought it would be fun to design an interior! I also told them I wanted it to be called a āstore,” and not a āgallery,” because I wanted to create merchandise based on my art, and I didnāt want to exclude people who werenāt specifically interested in buying art from coming into the store.
Since the establishment of the Shag Store, the biggest challenge has been the need to create new art and merchandise continually. I donāt want people coming into the store and seeing the same things over and over, so I spend a lot of time thinking about new products and art.
Q: Youāve enjoyed the opportunity to participate in major collaborations to recreate classic works from your own artful interpretation. What has been your favorite collaboration to date and how is your creative process different when working on these projects?
JA: My favorite collaborations have been the work Iāve done with Disneyland. My own art was inspired by the attraction posters in the park, so when they approached me to work with them in 2003, I was both honored and a bit apprehensive. Since then, the art and products Iāve designed for Disney have become very collectable and sought after, and the Disney connection has enhanced my own career as well.
Q: How have you been able to create such meaningful relationships in your industry to make these collaborations possible?
JA: My collaborations with companies such as Playboy, Paul Frank Industries, Coca-Cola, and the City of Palm Springs all came about because of people I had met who either worked at or represented those companies and were fans of my art.
Q: What are some emerging trends youāre noticing in the art space that youād consider incorporating into your own works?
JA: Iāve noticed that natural materials and textures are making a comeback: grasscloth wallpaper, sisal flooring, wood paneled walls. I plan on incorporating some of these trends into my work.
Q: What is your favorite piece that youāve created to date?
JA: I always say my favorite piece is the one Iām working on right now! Once Iāve finished a painting, I feel like Iāve lost some of the emotional connection I had with it while I was creating it, and I transfer that energy to whatever Iām planning next. Iāve never had a problem letting a painting or piece of art leave my studio once itās completed.
Q: Who is your favorite artist and how have they inspired your work?
JA: I donāt know that I could say I have a favorite artist, but I do have favorite artists from each era. My pre-renaissance favorite would be Hieronymus Bosch, while my early modernist favorite is Picasso. My abstract expressionist favorite is Mark Rothko. However, my favorite artist working right now is Jonathan Paul. He does pop-art inspired sculptures, but I could have a new favorite tomorrow.
Q: How has your artwork and overall aesthetic evolved over time, in your opinion?
JA: My art and aesthetic have evolvedāthe paintings and art have gotten grander and embraced a sense of scale that the early work didnāt have. Iāve abandoned a lot of the kitschier elements I used to paint, like skeletons wearing tuxedos or animals in evening wear to focus more on situations and characters that actually exist.
Q: What advice do you have for artists whoād like to make a full-time career doing what they love to do?
JA: Iād say to paint or create what really makes you happy. Donāt try to follow trends or paint things you think people will buy, but create art that is fulfilling and important to you as an artist. People will sense that youāve put all your artistic energy into the work and will respond to it accordingly.
First Shag
Joshās first piece of Shag art was in 1989 for a band album cover.
Coveted Collaborations
Some of Joshās awesome collaborations include: Disneyland, Playboy, Paul Frank Industries, Coca-Cola, and the City of Palm Springs.
Whatās in a Name?
Shag is the last two letters of Joshās first name combined with the first two letters of his last name, Agle.
Shag
725 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.322.3400
Written By: Gabriella Layne
Photographed By: Jane Chouteau Josh Agle
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