Enchanted Expression: The Art of Cody Jimenez

26 Oct Enchanted Expression: The Art of Cody Jimenez

Have you ever had a moment where you felt connected to an animal? Where you looked deep into its eyes and felt a sort of mutual understanding? Like, you exist with them and not just near them? Have you ever felt an internal pull toward a special crystal or rock formation? Has the color of a fire or a sunset reached into your soul and just stopped you dead in your tracks for a moment? Artist Cody Jimenez has the uncanny ability of catching those moments, among other extraordinary instances and recreating them with imaginative embellishments for us to recall and simmer in. 

Jimenez’s work floats between the familiar and the fictitious and finds colorful and mystical spaces in Imaginative Realism, while exploring allegory and anthropomorphism in his artwork. Creating objects and creatures to represent the emotions and experiences we have, Jimenez taps into a common but unnoticed piece of the human psyche.

Originally from New Mexico, now based out of Orange County, Jimenez has won awards from numerous organizations including the MexicanX Initiative, and shows at galleries throughout California, New Mexico, and Colorado. As he prepares for multiple exhibitions and some other very cool projects, we were able to pin him down for a brief interview to dive into his inspiration, his snack preferences, and what brought him to where he is today.

If you had to describe your art, as an energy or feeling, what would you say?

Somber or maybe melancholic. But if there’s a word that means melancholic with a little bit of hopefulness, that would be it—a little contradictory.

Your work often has an echoing energy or a glow about it, magic, emanating from the characters or objects you paint… why?

Recently, I’ve been using that to visualize internal emotions. My main body of work is focused on emotions coming into the physical realm; glowing crystals and orb-like forms represent these. The color, brightness, texture and form aid in the representation of the internal feelings being displayed. Emotions aren’t simple things. Using these physical emotions as a light source also solidifies the power they have on their surroundings.  

Light can be an attractive thing as well. Like moths to a flame, we’re attracted to things that give us hope. A few pieces, like Counting Down and Grip and Instill, are to show the dangers in following the light. Sometimes the things that can be bright and enticing can actually be dangerous or parasitic.

You paint and draw animals mostly. Can you explain your preference for animals over humans in your work?

I’m enthralled by the animal kingdom. There’s a slight freedom when painting or drawing animals compared to humans. I still anthropomorphize them, but I don’t worry about the inherent human baggage that would be there otherwise, in some or most situations at least. I want to be more thoughtful in how I approach the use of human figures in my paintings. I do enjoy painting them just as much, but I definitely paint and draw animals faster than I do humans currently.

What is your purpose as an artist (if you had to say)?

This is too existential, haha! Lately, I find solace in helping wildlife conservation efforts. I’ve done just a few things relating to that. As much as I paint animals, I felt the need to do something else to help, when I’m able to. It’s not often, but it’s something I decided to do a few years ago.

What is your background in art?

Like most, I started drawing on printer paper as a kid. I grew up in New Mexico, never having gone to art museums or galleries. That just wasn’t a thing in my family, or the area I grew up really. I was exposed toJuxtapoz and Hi-Fructose when I’d go to a mall or book stores, though. And comic books, that was definitely a key thing as to why I like storytelling and world building. First started oil painting in 2010, and have been obsessed with art-making since. 

Did you grow up in an artistic family? Were they supportive of your creative endeavors?

My mom drew some cartoons characters for me every now and then when I was little. My dad sent me drawings from prison. My mom later took up photography for a while. They were fine with me drawing in high school. But funny enough, my parents (mom and step dad) were not very supportive of me doing art in college. After my first year in college, I had a kid and they wanted me to do something more financially secure. Which is understandable. But I just double-downed and stuck to painting. After a few years they saw me receive awards, which helped them see I was serious about it. 

What brought you to SoCal?

I couldn’t keep painting what I wanted where I was, in New Mexico. It was too small a town and  just not a very prosperous area. I knew I had to go somewhere else after I finished school for my BFA. Grad school was the only way I could get out with a reason. Laguna College of Art + Design had a grad program and it was free to apply, so I went with it and got accepted. An expensive decision, but it’s been worth it for my career, so far. 

You often paint extraordinary environments—is your own environment important or influential to you?

Looking back on my own work from when I was in New Mexico, it was a lot of single figures in dark empty backgrounds. After moving to California, my work is much more vibrant. You could chalk that up to understanding how to paint environments and having the skill and experience to execute that now, sure. But, I’d like to think the environment of the people I’m around and how nature is around here has influenced me. I don’t necessarily paint my exact surroundings, but the creativity I’m around had been very crucial to my growth as an artist. 

What inspires you (in art and in life)?

My kid, 100%. I would have been a lazy aimless poo-head without her. Now I’m just a poo-head. She inspires me in the way she notices nature and how pure that is. I noticed that about 5-6 years ago, and that was life changing. 

What is the role music plays in your life and in your art?

Music has been source of comfort. If I’m not drawing I like having a guitar, or any stringed instrument, in my hand. Trying to figure out a melody that comes to my head or chord progressions. The past few months I’ve decided to write a soundtrack or album that accompanies a solo show I’m working on. I have a very specific theme for my show titled “Incinder.” The music will really help set the tone of the artwork. Just like a movie score can really sell certain scenes in a movie, the music I write will add to the artwork, that’s the basic idea. It’s taking a lot of motifs and sounds from ’80s horror movies, with a little bit of modern stuff going on.

What are you working on now?

Trying to be functioning dad and artist. But specifically with art, quite a bit of things, thankfully! I have a few group shows coming up in LA at Thinkspace Projects and Gallery 1988, and Abend Gallery in Denver. I have my solo show, “Incinder,” and everything that goes with that. Some small commissions as well. 

The group shows at Thinkspace and Gallery 1988, I’m really excited about. A really exciting thing I’ll be working on is the cover art for a 4-part sci-fi book series called The D’Angelo Chronicles by David Bowles. David is an incredible writer and a champion for BIPOC voices. A truly incredible person I’m lucky to know. Those books will be releasing throughout 2021-2022. I will have a busy few months coming up.

Now, for the most important question… What is your favorite snack?

Anything chili-lime flavored!

www.codyjimenez.com