Chasing Santa Fe: CODY HOOPER SOLO SHOW

Y O U N G T A L E N T E D & G O I N G P L A C E S

Six years ago I discovered CODY HOOPER and penned this
feature on him for CHASING. I was drawn to his
lyrical paintings and I still am. And as the title of that post
predicted..Cody is indeed going places...

Photos & Text by C. Whitney-Ward

When I walked into CODY HOOPER'S studio it was neat as a pin. No splashes of paint on the floor. No canvases placed willy nilly against walls. And no easel anywhere in sight, just a long table set in the middle of the room to catch the light. "I guess I shouldn't have cleaned," quipped Cody with a slow smile, realizing that maybe I needed to see a bit of artistic clutter. Nope. All I needed to see was his work, which drew me in with its color, movement and passionate surfaces.

Cody is self-taught, only beginning to paint professionally two years ago - first in watercolor and then in acrylics. He moved to Santa Fe from his home state of Texas last year and is already immersed in Santa Fe's diverse artistic community.

He paints on a flat surface because it gives him a different perspective than an easel and more freedom of movement. When he's almost finished, he hangs the painting on a wall to do touch ups and focus on small sections.

What I love about Cody's work are the textural stories within each painting that draw you in, compelling you to experience more.

All of his paintings, says Cody, are based on nature - flowing natural movements, texture and colors - something he learned from painting in watercolor.