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Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city’s creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year’s Best of Phoenix issue, we’re profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 5. Cody Nathaniel Johnson.
Though Cody Nathaniel Johnson’s fashion designs look ultra-modern, his approach is steeped in tradition.
When he was a kid growing up on the Tohono O’odham reservation, Johnson’s aunts Ruby Thomas and Dorina Garcia taught him how to hand sew horsehair baskets using a small needle, a thimble, and a single stand of horsehair. Looking back, the 26-year-old designer says the experience “taught me a lot of patience and craftsmanship that I put into my work all the time.”
See also: Tempe Author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo: 100 Creatives
“My grandmother first taught me how to sew, sewing pillow cases was my first experience with a sewing machine at the age of 8 or 9,” the Collins College fashion student says of moving beyond hand sewing with his aunts.
That foundation in craftsmanship has earned Johnson, who’s based in Phoenix, recognition. His freshman year at Collins, he applied for Project Runway, got a callback and met with producers, but he didnt end up making it to the next round. The following year, he was named Fashion Designer of the Year for RAW Artist in 2012.
Now he’s in the midst of creating a new 16-piece collection. “So far seven of them are done,” he says, “but hiding in my closet for no one to see until the big reveal.”
While he doesn’t yet have plans to show the collection, organizing a debut event is on his to-do list — between coffee-fueled days full of designing and perfecting his new body of work.
I came to Phoenix with the idea that some day I’ll move away from here. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a local born and raised Native American from the Tohono O’odham reservation. And been here ever since.
I make art because I feel that my talent should be shared with others. Using my hands and doing what their suppose to do, creating my work is what makes me the most happiest from the beginning to end result. When others seen what I created for the first time, and they like it, it melts my heart.
I’m most productive when I’m in the zone, at home, wearing big comfy clothing, music playing, and working away.
My inspiration wall is full of nothing… I keep everything in my sketch books, 16 and counting. I always have a sketchbook on me, if I can’t use it, I’m sketching on my phone and writing notes down on my phone, which I later print out and add to my books. Inside my sketch books I have notes, ideas, sketches, magazine cutouts, self made fabric swatches, art work that someday would be turned into printed fabric. If I pinned everything on my inspirational wall, I’m pretty sure I’d have new wallpaper from floor to ceiling.
I’ve learned most from books, biographies, world news even local, any type of documentaries and classic movies, then take notes in my inspiration book. TED is one of my favorite apps on my phone I would have to say it’s second from my Vogue app.
Good work should always speak for itself. That moment when you stop and something catches your eye, that’s the moment when it’s speaks for itself. Go walk down First Friday area and you’ll see what I mean.
The Phoenix creative scene could use more open minded people that accept the freedom of art in any shape or form.
See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:
100. Bill Dambrova
99. Niki Blaker
98. Jeff Slim
97. Beth May
96. Doug Bell
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
93. Nicole Royse
92. Ib Andersen
91. Casandra Hernandez
90. Chris Reed
89. Shelby Maticic
88. Olivia Timmons
87. Courtney Price
86. Travis Mills
85. Catrina Kahler
84. Angel Castro
83. Cole Reed
82. Lisa Albinger
81. Larry Madrigal
80. Julieta Felix
79. Lauren Strohacker
78. Levi Christiansen
77. Thomas Porter
76. Carrie Leigh Hobson
75. Cody Carpenter
74. Jon Jenkins
73. Aurelie Flores
72. Michelle Ponce
71. Devin Fleenor
70. Noelle Martinez
69. Bucky Miller
68. Liliana Gomez
67. Jake Friedman
66. Clarita Lulić
65. Randy Murray
64. Mo Neuharth
63. Jeremy Hamman
62. La Muñeca
61. Kevin Goldman
60. Emily Costello
59. Kerstin Dale
58. Vara Ayanna
57. Nathaniel Lewis
56. Ruben Gonzales
55. Lisa Poje
54. Bobby Zokaites
53. Frances Smith Cohen
52. Julie Rada
51. David Miller
50. Xanthia Walker
49. Kyllan Maney
48. Cary Truelick
47. Constance McBride
46. James D. Porter
45. Allyson Boggess
44. Abigail Lynch
43. Ashley Cooper
42. Jaclyn Roessel
41. Brandon Boetto
40. Melissa Dunmore
39. Gavin Sisson
38. Rossitza Todorova
37. Monica Robles
36. Josh Kirby
35. Jesse Perry
34. Yai Cecream
33. Nathan Blackwell
32. Carley Conder
31. Ben Willis
30. Nicole Michieli
29. Brian Cresson
28. Tyson Krank
27. Mikey Estes
26. Anwar Newton
25. Sarah “Saza” Dimmick
24. Tato Caraveo
23. Jorge Torres
22. Laura Spalding Best
21. Shawnte Orion
20. Mike Olbinski
19. Christina You-Sun Park
18. Jon Arvizu
17. Anya Melkozernova
16. J.B. Snyder
15. Damon Dering
14. Rebekah Cancino
13. Liz Warren
12. Timothy Brennan
11. Mimi Jardine
10. Rosalind Shipley
9. Nic Wiesinger
8. Kendra Sollars
7. Dan Hull
6. Elizabeth Maria Naranjo
