The Artist Shag

The Modernist Storyteller

Josh Agle, also known as Shag (a contraction of the last two letters of his first name and the first two letters of his last name), is an internationally renowned painter, illustrator and designer based in Southern California.

His work has come to epitomize the Palm Springs lifestyle, exploring a range of themes set in colorful mid-20th-century-evoking scenes and often showing beautiful people living lavish, cocktail-raising lives. His distinctive style draws on commercial illustration from the 1950s and ‘60s, and he infuses everything he creates with a wonderful storytelling sensibility, sardonic humor—and fun.

Shag’s work has been featured in museums like the L.A. County Museum of Art, The Andy Warhol Museum in Pennsylvania and the Naples Museum of Contemporary Art in Italy, and his paintings have appeared in gallery exhibitions in the United States, Europe, South America, Japan and Australia. His imagery can be found on merchandise and products for brands like Coca-Cola, Star Wars, Playboy and The Walt Disney Company. Shag has created the official Modernism Week poster for the past six years of the event, and he recently helped celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway by creating a commemorative print.

Since 2010, The Shag Store, a gallery and retail space in Palm Springs, has offered exclusive limited-edition prints, merchandise and apparel. In 2022, a second Shag Store opened in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Shag considers Palm Springs his second home, and he’s excited to share this latest creation with locals and visitors alike.