Interview with Cody Hudson, of Struggle Inc.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into a creative state when you're in the studio?

I start my morning in the studio by lighting some incense and boiling a pot of water for tea. I'll put on some piano based music and then slowly start the day.

How has living and working in Chicago influenced our artistic practice and the themes you explore?

Chicago is a hard working city— but also a friendly one. I think it brings a strong work ethic to my practice. I also think living in the midwest in general brings more of an honest feel to my work.

Will you speak a little bit to your process for creating CityScapes?

This abstracted collage of shapes for me is all about the energy of Chicago. Some shapes reference the many train lines in the loop, Other shapes remind me of the sound of a busy day downtown and Chicago’s connection to music. Some pieces make me think about architectural details you can find while walking around the city. This piece for me is about a busy day in the city and you finding yourself a comfortable place in that day.

Do you ever incorporate elements of chance or randomness into your creative process? If so, how does that manifest in your work?

A lot of my work starts that way. When I start cutting shapes out of paper to make designs out of, I usually just start cutting and see what happens. I rarely sketch ahead of time as I feel some of the special moments happen by chance instead of me trying to follow an initial outline.  

Have you ever experienced creative burnout? If so, how did you overcome it and reignite your passion for making art?

I don’t really view burnout in a way others do. This is what I do everyday so some days are better than others. And if something is not working one day, I usually just sleep on it and come back the next morning at 9 am and try again.  

What do you hope viewers will respond to or take away from your work?

If someone is on their way to work or going for a walk and looks down at the tumbler in hand and it brings a smile to their face then that makes my day. If I can bring a little enjoyment to someone's day then I feel I did a good job.