MAX IS NOT COOL.

A North Dakota kid,

born and raised, Max is something he likes to call “a real-life North Dakota artist, writer and musician.” For over a decade Max Patzner has traveled the country playing original, homegrown NoDak tunes with his musical venture - folk / rock band - Wild Hands. The band has released five studio albums and has another collection of songs on the way. Max studied art in the Magic City of Minot and creates naive, whimsical illustrations, gig posters and paintings. AND now - he has thrown all his artistic and musical talents into a longing dream of his - writing, illustrating and creating music for his very own kid’s books. 

BOOKS

Max’s very first kid’s book; “Wild & The Animal Band” , was published in 2020. With the success and overwhelming encouragement from his first release, Max has been able to keep on living the dream and creating picture books with his newest release - Alpha Yeah,Sure,You BETcha: The Nodak ABC’s - and more books are on the way!

MUSIC & ART

Max has been a singer / songwriter on the plains for over 15 years, playing tunes with various bands and fronting his longtime musical project, Wild Hands. Max has released 5 studio albums, recorded on Paste magazine’s recording program Daytrotter, and has been featured playing his music on Prairie Public Television - oftentimes seen right before Sesame Street. 

Max’s artwork has been featured in publications like The High Plains Reader, On 2nd Thought magazine and you may have seen his book of photographs shown at the Plains Art Museum. Max has always been an active Minot artist - working on projects in collaboration with Minot State University and ND artist and Cowboy Hall of Famer Walter Piehl, LEEWOK Music & Arts Festival, Souris Valley Animal Shelter, Souris Basin Planning Committee - while also creating posters with his signature style for events throughout North Dakota and dreaming up imaginative design work for local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

COMMUNITY

Max’s latest creative venture has been creating an inspirational / educational program for kids called, The Little Why Not? Publishing House. Little Why Not? students are able to write and illustrate their very own kids book and have it published into hardcover books to live on the family bookshelf forever. In 2018 Max was awarded a Creative Community grant through the Bush Foundation to help create the Little Why Not? programming and hopes to finally venture out to North Dakota classrooms to read his books and get kids inspired and making books. Max’s Little Why Not? progam has also officially launched a storefront / workshop / studio space nested in Main Street Books, Downtown Minot and plans to continue workshops in schools all over North Dakota.

FAMILY

Max has always been a champion of everything North Dakota. All creative ventures are made with one purpose in mind: helping create and add to the ever growing creative community that makes NoDak so special.

Minot, North Dakota is homebase for Max. He lives in a cute little house with his lovely wife Bethany, their doggo Artie and their brand new little kiddo, Leo Lee.