Mike Maxwell

Date: 2025-08-01 | Duration: 2h 35m

Category: Arts & Entertainment, Health & Medicine

Episode Overview

Mike Maxwell, visual artist and gallery owner, joins Joe for a wide-ranging 2.5-hour conversation about creativity, jiu-jitsu, consciousness, and the discipline of art-making. Maxwell — whose work is shown at BG Gallery in Santa Monica and Mortal Machine gallery in New Orleans — describes how jiu-jitsu and painting both function as creative problem-solving for him, tickling identical parts of the brain. They discuss Pressfield's 'The War of Art' and its concept of the muse and professionalism, Bukowski's gravestone inscription 'Don't Try,' the political dysfunction of bureaucracy (how entrenched departments kill any meaningful reform), and Elon Musk's personal-wealth-funded approach to bypassing institutional resistance. They riff on the stunning recent discovery that dogs' domestication from wolves wasn't confirmed by DNA sequencing until about 20 years ago, and marvel at how jiu-jitsu is useful not just as a sport but as a life philosophy. Maxwell's website is MikeMaxwellArt.com.

About Mike Maxwell

Mike Maxwell is a multidisciplinary artist renowned for his thought-provoking work that delves into themes of humanity, consciousness, and the unknown. With a background in fine arts and a passion for exploring the intersections of culture and perception, Maxwell has exhibited his pieces in galleries across the United States, earning accolades for his unique visual narratives. He captivates audiences not only with his artistic talent but also through his insightful discussions on the deeper meanings behind art and existence, making him a compelling figure in contemporary art. His appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience further showcased his ability to engage in profound conversations, solidifying his status as a thought leader in the artistic community.

Key Moments

– Art and Creative Problem Solving
– Jiu-Jitsu as Life Philosophy
– The War of Art and the Muse Concept
– Bureaucratic Dysfunction and Reform
– Dog Domestication and Wolf DNA
0:00:13 – Hey Mike Maxwell — artist joins Joe
0:48:59 – Jiu-jitsu and painting — the same creative problem-solving
1:12:13 – Empathy and knowing when too much feeling gets in the way
1:28:53 – The War of Art — treating creativity like a professional
2:15:32 – Dog domestication not confirmed by DNA until 20 years ago
2:30:13 – MikeMaxwellArt.com — BG Gallery Santa Monica, Mortal Machine New Orleans

Transcript Excerpt

HelveticaNeue; Times-Roman; HelveticaNeue-Medium; Helvetica; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; \* ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:02 \ Joe Rogan Podcast, check it out! The Joe Rogan Experience Showing by day. \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:00:07 \ Joe Rogan Podcast by night! All day! \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:13 \ Hey, \ Mike Maxwell \ ! \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:00:14 \ How's it going, Joe Rogan? \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:15 \ My man, good to see you. \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:00:16 \ Good to be here. \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:17 \ For anybody who doesn't know, \ Mike Maxwell \ is an amazing artist and did not just that painting with \ Quentin Tarantino \ in front of it, which is pretty fucking cool, but also the \ JRE \ logo. \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:00:28 \ Yeah, a minute ago. Yeah, so funny. \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:31 \ How many years ago was that? Like 15 fucking years ago? \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:00:33 \ Yeah, it has to be. I think you were like on episode 10, maybe. Yeah. \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:37 \ That's crazy. \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:00:39 \ Yeah. And super fucking random too. Like I get the question all the time, like, how the fuck did you do that? You know? And for me, like my whole like art experience has just been like, make the work and whatever the fuck happens afterwards is just all bonus. \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:00:56 \ Well, if the work is great, that works. You know, it's like, you have to be discovered. Someone has to find you. But yeah, ultimately, it's about talent. \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:01:06 \ Yeah. And, you know, hard work, too. \ Joe Rogan Starting point is 00:01:10 \ Yes. Yeah. Yes. \ \ Speaker 2 Starting point is 00:01:11 \ Yeah. I mean, because that talent really doesn't come like artists so often are like people like, oh, I like I wi...

Read the full transcript

More Episodes

Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2359?

Mike Maxwell was the guest on JRE #2359. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2359?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2359 with Mike Maxwell, topics include Art and Creative Problem Solving, Jiu-Jitsu as Life Philosophy, The War of Art and the Muse Concept, and Bureaucratic Dysfunction and Reform.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2359?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #2359 with Mike Maxwell is on the dedicated transcript page for this episode, with timestamps and in-page search.