We recently connected with Cadence Hodes and have shared our conversation below.
Cadence, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a recent custom order, it was special from start to finish. I received the following email from the client after an article featuring my work was published in our local newspaper: “Reading the article in yesterdays Post-Dispatch could not have come at a better time. My husband and I celebrate our 15th “meetversary” on July 12th. Our song is “Strangers in the Night”…his father passed in January, and in sorting his albums, I found the 45 record. My husband does not know I found the record in his dad’s collection as I was saving it for the gift”. The timing could not have been more fortuitous, and when he dropped off the vinyl, he’d wrapped it the in the newspaper article—I was so touched by this thoughtful detail.
The client sent me photos of their home to use as inspiration for the color palette, and I included stars in my design to allude to the setting of nighttime in the lyrics.
Music can hold so much meaning. A song, album, or artist can evoke so many emotions and memories. We might remember the first time we heard a song, the people we were with at a concert, the phase of life we were in when we knew every single word of an album. I love being able to create something tangible and timeless to memorialize these experiences.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
A bit about me: I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, but spent time in California and New Orleans during college. I studied psychology with the goal of becoming a therapist, which I accomplished in 2020. Prior to experimenting with painting on vinyls, the last time I’d created any artwork was in high school—though I did dabble in intricate nail art for a period of time. A healthy dose of boredom and inspiration in the form of seeing a friend use a vinyl record as a mixing palette resulted in playing with painting on vinyl records, which eventually led me here. Over the years I’ve improved upon this craft, and picked up a love of watercolor painting as well.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
It’s tough to say which is the more rewarding part of my work—the benefits I experience from the creative process itself, or the joy I’m able to provide those who appreciate my work. The former is what started all of this in the first place—I started painting vinyl records as a hobby and continued because of how much fun I was having, and the latter came about only once I started to sell them. I would say that currently, doing custom work and being able to collaborate with clients and create something uniquely meaningful for them is the most rewarding aspect.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My goal for this creative journey is just to stay on it. Painting vinyls will always feel like home to me, and my watercolor projects allow me to experiment and play. My work as a therapist is incredibly rewarding, and it also can be taxing. Painting is a therapeutic and cathartic way to unwind and use a different part of my brain. In an ideal world, I would love for my time to be evenly split between my roles as a therapist and an artist. Each is fulfilling in its own way, and the goal is to continue to do both in a way that remains fun and sustainable.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cadencehodesart.com
- Instagram: CadenceHodesArt
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cadencehodesart
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