Artist's Statement

Growing up in a rural midwestern town, Cody was instilled at an early age with a solid work ethic and an affinity for nature and all its beauty.

A natural artist, Cody has been drawing and painting since he was five and is continually inspired by the desert, which has been his home for most of his adult life.

"The Southwest is renowned for its unusual and interesting scenery, and as I explore further, nature reveals more of her often subtle beauty. I was drawn to the desert by the freedom of the open spaces and the rugged hopefulness that accompanies a life lived in the desert. There is a sense of autonomy and freedom of thought which I find essential to my life as an artist. These are some of the feelings I try to express in my work, in addition to the beautiful light.

"To paint well requires more than just good technique, for no amount of paint can make a great painting from an average idea. For me, painting is more than just an emotional response to nature's beauty, it is also about knowledge, experience and a concerted, sustained effort toward personal growth and insight.

"An artist trains himself to 'see,' that is, to observe with sensitivity and then to think and distill before attempting expression."

A passionate student of art, Cody has studied at the Loveland Academy of Fine Arts, as well as the Scottsdale Artists School, where, in 2003, he was awarded a merit-based scholarship. In 2004, the Oil Painters of America, of which Cody is a member, selected him as the year's Shirl Smithson Scholarship winner.