Join Cody Goodin, our Artist-In-Residence for this Winter, every Wednesday from 4-6PM and every Saturday from 11am-1pm in our Creativity Center for free collaborative art making and discussion!
Cody's current art practice is a culmination of years of creating bits and pieces of his own inner world. It was this inner world that became his sanctuary, his healing space. This world ultimately became known as Codyland. He explores the various characters and places in his world through a series of textile collages, illustrations, dolls, puppets and soft sculpture. His creative work is purely heart and imagination driven and not as intellectually conceptual.
The incorporation of hand stitching symbolizes the purposeful connections being made between each of the elements. The stitch medium is its own language, which helps Cody express both connection and memory. The repetitive stitching becomes his meditation and thus begins a new layer of his healing process. His hope is that by sharing his work, the viewer can feel safe enough to allow their inner child out to play, to be curious and to find their own healing space. So Cody welcomes you to the madness in your head.
About Cody (in his own words):
My life began in a small town called Dayton Kentucky. It was soon discovered that I had a severe visual impairment that would be my greatest challenge in life. My parents soon moved to Oakridge Tennessee to pursue work. I lived there for the first six years of my life. Half way through my first grade year the family moved back to northern Kentucky. I started making art at a very early age. By the time I was in middle school I was creating cloth dolls and stuffed animals. Many of which I donated to the local orphanage for under privileged kids. This all became possible under the careful guidance of my grandmother.
In high school I pursued music and theater as my creative outlet. Next I attended Thomas More University and earned a double Bachelor of Arts in fine art and theater. The first few years after college I spent painting and drawing. But, soon felt uninspired with these mediums. So, by happenstance I rekindled my love of textile arts. I began making quilted wall hangings and cloth dolls. The next several decades were spent exploring and honing my craft and visual language. I had the pleasure of teaching at a variety of national workshop artist retreats from 1999-2017 were I introduced students to the joys of making artist dolls and puppets. What really captured my heart and soul was the power of storytelling through art. Especially the art form of dolls and puppets. I am drawn to dolls and puppets as an art form because it is so tactile and begs the viewer to touch and hold it. Dolls and puppets make perfect vehicles for storytelling.The energy infused into the dolls and puppets are transferred to the holder/viewer and a beautiful connection is made. Dolls have the magical power to coax all of our secrets out to be kept safe by the doll. It becomes the holder of our story, our connection to our ancestors and our greater community. My favorite format is the mythic/hero’s journey. It is rich with archetypes that can be drawn from the characters in our own life’s story.
Currently I use a variety of textile media to tell my story and the story of my ancestors. It can be embroidered wall hangings or dolls, puppets and soft sculpture. Nothing is out of bounds for creative expression. I can’t wait to see what’s next.