Meet Cody Lusby | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cody Lusby and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cody, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Four years ago I became a father. There really was no balance before parenthood. My life was all art. Producing, selling, showing and going to art shows. I had a goal and was focused on it.

Since becoming a parent the needle has moved towards family. At first it was hard. I never had enough time to work. But now as my daughter has grown. My focus has changed, not so end goal oriented. I have slowed down, contemplate more and chose to be more selective. I am blending some parts of my creativity into daily life, in ways I wasn’t expecting. Such as community projects have become a big part of my art practice. Being a father I want to make my neighborhood as safe, fun and beautiful as I can.

My perspective on work life balance is that I have made it more intertwining. Sometimes life is work and sometime work is life. I think being an artist, lends to a more flexible schedule. The balance seems to be easier.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I live and work in Long Beach, California. I am a painter focused on contemporary reality. My work is divided into different series. Though the bodies of work vary with ideas, the main focus is to always evolve. To create this progression I use consistent elements running through my art. Time represented by segmentation, motion expressed by the blurring of the painted subject matter and place solidified by a photo collaged. Pushing the the composition a little farther, my newest element plays with the geometry of the substrate. Creating shapes that are not square.

Since the shutdown my focus has been on three ideas. Develop large scale dream projects, create artwork that is true to myself and change the world through local community action.

It is never easy. Nobody cares about a starving artist. Get a real job is what you hear a lot. I got to where I am today through pure dedication, being honest with myself and being consistent. The best advice I have for any artist is to not be a stereo type. Unreliable, flaky and non communicative gets you beat out by many artists.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Eat Breakfast- Starling Dinner, Coffee Cup Cafe, Clairs at the Museum, The Park Pantry and Chucks Coffee Shop
Lunch- Hole Mole, Olive Gourmet Market, Sea Birds Kitchen, Berlin and The HipPea
Dinner-The Attic, Open Sesame, La Parolaccia Osteria Italiano, Michael’s On Naples and Tantalum
Drinks and Hangout- The Pike Bar and Restaurant, Joe Jost’s, Alex’s Bar, The V Room and The Prospector

Things to do- Walk over the bridge and around Colorado Lagoon. Chill at the beach at Horny Corner. Walk along Bluff Park at sunset. Check out the art at LBMA and the MOLAA. Ride bikes to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Fly Kites at Marine Vista Park. Take the Aqua Link water taxi from Ballast Point Brewery to Shore Line Village. Ride the carousel at Shore Line Village.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Wife Linzy without her partnership in life I wouldn’t be where I am today. Eric Copeland as a friend and neighbor who showed me the way of community.
The Rose Park Neighbor Hood Association for connecting neighbors and organizing events.
The Arts Council for Long Beach for connecting artists with clients

Website: codylusby.com

Instagram: @codylusbyart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cody.lusby

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/codylusbytheartist

Image Credits
Hesh Hipp Cynthia Luján