Artist: Cody Schibi

I first met Cody Schibi at the Austin Comic con and I fell in love with his work. There’s a raw and gritty brilliance that can be found in each of his creations. Zombies, Demons, Monsters, and Rainbow throw up, what more can you ask for? Cody can end up in any industry but one thing is for sure he has a very bright future. I had a chance to talk with Cody and here’s the man himself…

BBM: How’s life treating ya?

Swell!

BBM: What would you say was your first major experience with art and how did you know it was for you?

I remember my mom drawing outlines of Frankenstein & different characters when my brothers & I were really young, then have us fill in those blank bodies with the details: face, clothes, etc... Just the enjoyment & excitement of that has stuck with me. I knew I wanted to do art at a very young age, it just took me awhile to find out how & get the motivation to actually do it.

BBM: Give our readers a little history about yourself.

I was born & raised in Harlingen, TX then moved to Austin in 1999. Worked in film doing storyboards & conceptual art for a few years before going freelance & doing what I do now. I’ve only been doing this for going on 3 years now, so I have a LOT of learning & room for growth which is exciting. That’s never ending though...

BBM: What are some current projects you’re working on?

I just finished a painting for a local show here in Austin in December, doing a live art show in January, I’ll be branching out of my comfort zone customizing some vinyl for a show in February & I’m working on an ongoing comic called BULLMOOSE written by my brother, Lance: www.BULLMOOSEtheCOMIC.com. Between all of that are freelance jobs here & there...

BBM: Influences?

A lot of things influence me from film, music to hard working, creative individuals. I LOVE horror movies(especially from the 80s) & that can be seen in my work. Artists that rule my face are Geof Darrow, Raphael Grampa, ZeroFriends, Bernie Wrightson, Crumb, Aaron Horkey...the list goes on & on, but those are the modern day masters that blow my mind.

BBM: Three words that describe your art?

Humourous & Gracefully Grotesque

BBM: What are your tools of the trade?

Predominately ink. But I use watercolors a lot & color/clean up my pieces digitally as well.

BBM: How would you say your art style has evolved since starting?

Patience has been the key for me...not the Gn’R song, though that HAS helped me. I would sometimes rush & even get bored at times with art I created simply to get as much out there as I could. I notice that a lot when looking back at older pieces & cringe. I’m becoming more selective with my jobs as well & taking more time to create the best design or illustration I can with each one. Ask me again in a year & I’m sure my answer will be completely different though!

BBM: Where do you find Inspiration in life?

Mostly from family & friends. Motivation from those close to you is a rad thing. I like to surround myself with talented, creative people that blow me away with their craft. Looking at a buddy’s painting or hearing a friend’s new song truly makes me want to create awesome things as well.

BBM: How’s the art scene in your city?

Austin is just an awesome home in general. The people here are completely open to anything creative, so it makes it easy for artists to do their thing. It’s just difficult to get noticed with so many talented people here, but I love it. The food here is a beautiful thing too!

 

BBM: Funniest/ Most Memorable career moment?

I think ARTSLAM!’s SIXTH Year Anniversary Show is up there for me. ARTSLAM! is a San Antonio live art & music show created by my good buddy Rob Perez about 7 years ago. For this specific show he flew in Alex Pardee, Skinner & Lamour Supreme to do some live painting with us.  We hung out all weekend long doing the touristy stuff, laughing hysterically & just having a blast. Events like that where it’s simply hanging out with amazing friends & doing art together ALWAYS top my list of memorable things for me.

BBM: Whats a long term career goal for you?

To be as lazy as I can yet still consistently produce quality art. Basically I want wires & mechanical arms connected to my brain that do all the work through thought while I eat Haribo Gummi Bears, watch movies & read comics. I think that’s an attainable goal...

BBM: A fact a fan may not know about you?

My karaoke version of ‘Sweet Transvestite’ is pretty stellar...

BBM: Besides art what are some of your passions?

As I stated above, I’m a HUGE fan of film. I loved working on the movies I did. Having such a large group of people all working together to make one piece of art & is amazing. I’m retardedly passionate about horror movies especially. That & music.  I played here around Austin for over 10 years; recorded some albums & meet a lot of wonderful friends. I’ve since “retired” to completely concentrate & devote my time to my art at this time, but music continues to be a giant part of my life.

BBM: What’s currently in heavy rotation in your Ipod?

When I’m at the drawing table I usually just put my music on “shuffle”. I love ALL kinds, but lately it’s been a lot of M.Ward, The Smiths, Aesop Rock, Do Make Say Think, Tool, Mastodon & a local band of kids called Residual Kid whom I just did some album art for...check these young masterminds out YO!

BBM: What are some words of wisdom you would give a youth wanting to be an artist?

The answer to this always sounds the same from everyone, but its true: KEEP DOING IT. Getting your work out there is super important. If there’s a certain direction you want to go, be selective with the jobs you take, but again, get your work SEEN. Also, go out to art shows & meet people. Shaking hands & making new friends opens up many possibilities, opportunites & good times.

BBM: Where can fans find the latest news about you and get prints?

Everything is linked up on my website www.codyschibi.com, but I post the most on Twitter: http://twitter.com/codyschibi & here’s a direct link to my online store if you wanna but some garbage: http://codyschibi.bigcartel.com

BBM: Any last words or anything you want to add?

The owls are not what they seem.