Meet Cody Prez

We recently connected with Cody Prez and have shared our conversation below.

Cody, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My work Ethic is a project continuously being reevaluated and molded. I like to think i have a strong and strict work ethic though, which took years of hard work, maturity, and discipline. It started early in my life, i always wanted to have rather than not and I come from a family where my father busted his back 7 days a week holding 2 jobs to make sure his family had what we needed. At the early age of say 7 i was already finding ways to produce income, selling my brothers toys unknowingly at school, or “Milk is Chillin” stickers i was given, small jobs around the house i would ask my parents to earn from and working for family friends with projects, and snow removal ect. By the time i was a teen, i already was out in the world working for mine and hating almost every minute of it other than pay day when i had freedom for the next week financially. IT CLICKED, It became a competition to myself. I knew the recipe. As i grew from a teen into a young man, so did my respect for my father’s sacrifices. It always amazed me how hard of a worker, and a provider he was, and that understanding helped boost my already entrepreneur-ic drive. There was a-lot of balance which was needed between work life, and social life, family time and artist time. It took a-lot of sacrifice from myself, but looking at my dads blueprint, fun doesn’t always pay off, its earned. Now with discipline and respect in mind, the dedication to my full time job, side job, and art jobs always became most important as These actions in my opinion speak volumes of character, and i had zero tolerance for anything less. Ethic is everything.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My story as a Artist started about the same time my experiences in making a buck did. Like most children at the age of six, seven, we all love to color and create, draw and paint, BUT i realized i had a whole other beast growing inside me. I had a uncle named John Stringer, who is no longer here, but this was my main initial inspiration. He was an amazing artist, and to any seven year old, cool as hell. I loved everything about him, his sense of humor, and his darkness, his honestly, and of course his talent. While at the same time, the streets of Ny were filled with Graffitti. The idea of people painting their names so large, and in spaces no man could ever get to were massive to me. I learned to know every tag, fill, piece around the way. On rides anywhere with family or friends, my only interest was consuming all the work, learning the names, the different styles and what was new and fresh. It became an addiction in a sense. Mix this love with the love for art, and having an older brother involved in that world sucked me right in, while at the same time having that plug with my uncle for lessons, talk, tips, and drive. I was hooked. It was who i became, how i felt strongest being, and who i defined myself as a human being. I was invincible. My parents believed in me, in my style of art and the passion they seen, so they provided my with the basement in my childhood home to become my own concrete canvas, they supplied my supplies when i needed, and they most importantly taught me how dedication works and how hard work ethic always pays off. Without these initial supporters, i may have never pushed forward. Grateful doesn’t even hold weight to these few in my gratitude within my lifes work. Year over year, i tried, failed, learned, lost. They were all always there to support. As a early teen, commissioned work started to come into play, and along with my desire to make money, my desire to get more work heightened. I needed to step up my game, my style, my mental vision skills, my handstyle and my sense for business. It just dont happen overnight, it has taken years and is still a growing machine. Consistency is key. Alot of self doubt was always in the back of my mind, I always looked at people who inspired me and judged myself to them, i learned this is not the way, we are our own worst enemies. So lets Fast forward to present time and i like to think im a fairly successful artist who is incorporated and busy all year, year after year.. My work comprises mostly of street art and style, but stretches through to corporate installations along with logo design. I always tell myself success is only defined when one has completed or it satisfied with their state. My problem is, i always want more. More challenges, more projects, and of course more to my legacy. Art has been my whole structure in life, to who i am, how i work, how i father, how i husband. Art has provided for me, and provided for countless others, Art is a savior, a friend, and a love like no other. Art has and will continue to be who i am at the core and has taught me how to be at peace in life. Art is life.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three major factors for me personally in my lifes long work are simple. They are at the same time no where close to being simple though, as some never find these factors for themselves personally.

1. Confidence. This is not bought, learned, or given. It is earned, acquired through pain and failure. Confidence is built, piece by piece, year over year. It takes many different experiences to gain, but once gotten, goals are reached faster and faster. It is also something thats a gift which takes much balance to at the same time never become over confident. No body likes a self centered un humbled individual. Stay true to yourself and it will always be available.

2. Discipline. We all know what it means, we all may think we possess it, but thats not the truth. It ONLY exposes itself when you have a true desire to accomplish a goal or goals. It is a struggle, it doesn’t come easy, and takes alot of sacrifice to maintain this godly structure. It is key to success, and it is key to completion.

3. Love. Love is a loosely used term, but it must be believed in, it must be earned, and it must be maintained like nothing else. It will help you get through almost any trial, tribulation, and hard position in anything life throws you. So the same goes with loving yourself, and whatever road you decide to take in life. With this one word, everything else is pointless. Love your work, love your style, love yourself as its all about you and who you are. Love your supporters, the haters, and the ones who do everything to do either or. You cant live, without love, and you sure as shit cant grow to your goals and success of without it.

As a younger man, i wish i knew these things, I knew of them, but didn’t truley know them directly. I was lucky enough though to see what they could offer, and took them up on their promises one by one. Here we are.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

I would be no one without all my supporters, friends, family, and strangers of all ages. The amount of love and support through all my years has continued to support all my work through sales, commission, referrals, shares, compliments, and constructive criticism. Other than that im just a guy who can draw stuff. Skills are developed, qualities are pronounced and Knowledge doesn’t just come from any one place, its a whole organism that is brought on with support of all types. Success is a personal goal, and who gets to decide that? No body else. Be at peace with everything negative, and never let the positivity poison your heart. What i think is bad may be good to someone else, so at the end of the day. Just do your thing, work hard, discipline yourself, and let love lead the way. Peace

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Artworkbycodyprez.com
• Instagram: Prezarecta