Cody has been studying at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Fine Arts Program in Vancouver since 2008. He received YVR Art Foundation Youth Scholarships in both 2011 and 2012, and since 2011 he has been mentoring with celebrated First Nations artist, Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun. At this stage in his young career, Cody mostly works with acrylic on canvas. In his work, Cody uses Northwest Coast formal design elements and surreal expressionism in an attempt to create a visceral response from the viewer. This unique aesthetic was demonstrated in his first solo show, which was titled Cody Lecoy: Recollection of a Dream and held at Vancouver’s Lattimer Gallery in 2013. Cody plans to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kwantlen in the near future.
My involvement with the YVR Art Foundation has really instilled a sense of what is possible in an art career. Being in the presence of my mentor Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun planted in my mind the idea of “what is possible”. Also, the direct aspects associated with mentoring allowed me to physically experience the work involved in building a career. The opportunity to be shown in the public eye added another meaning to my work. Public engagement forces the artist to really take into consideration the message that is being communicated. This public engagement also allows artists to become an active voice within the dialogue of Northwest Coast art, and this changed my perspective from being an observer to an active participant.
As a result of receiving a YVR Art Foundation Scholarship, I was able to develop an understanding of what it takes to maintain an art practice in painting. This involved developing discipline, understanding time commitments, and also finding interests of inquiry to explore.
