Artist Decoded by Yoshino

Cj Hendry (b. 1988) is a New York-based artist originally from Brisbane, Australia. Hendry transforms her fascination with contemporary material culture into large-scale, hyper-photorealistic drawings. Cj Hendry's exhibits aren't intended to be passively observed but, rather, actively experienced through engaging, fun, and thought-provoking exhibits. For her exhibit Monochrome, Hendry and her team built an entire multi-room "home" inside a warehouse with each room entirely monochrome-colored from floor to ceiling and everything in between. For Rorschach, guests jumped through a gigantic bouncy house maze in order to reach and finally view the impressive series. Each Cj Hendry exhibit, from Miami to Melbourne, draws massive crowds with attendees waiting in line for several hours - and, in the end, everyone leaves more enriched than when they arrived. With her celebrity clientele – and many works in private collections - Hendry's waitlist is now well over 3,000 collectors with a wait time of up to five years to get their hands on a piece. Topics Discussed In This Episode: CJ's mindset shift after university (00:03:41) The beginning of CJ's art practice (00:06:35) What led to CJ's first sale (00:08:32) The 10,000-hour rule (00:12:49) Creating great concepts and ideas (00:10:46) Success leading to complacency (00:13:59) Her recent project "Cheese" (00:18:28) Thoughts on losing fire and passion over time (00:20:37) Sustaining a playful mentality (00:23:58) Valuable lessons learned creating an art business (00:26:54) CJ's "Copyright Infringement" series (00:37:22) CJ's decision to not work with a manager (00:42:33) AI art (00:46:38) Her upcoming exhibition "Plaid" (00:52:27) artistdecoded.com cjhendrystudio.com instagram.com/cj_hendry

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's short story "And Then Awoke The Butterfly" can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Brett Amory's multidisciplinary practice is based on the intersection of quotidian and habitual engagements with the everyday world. His works consider moments of visual perception that precede interpretation. Working primarily in painting and installation, he uses the ordinary as a vehicle for extending the familiar into the realms of the unfamiliar. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, including at the National Portrait Gallery, London; the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh; the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana; Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco; and de Young Museum, San Francisco. Brett Amory earned an MFA from Stanford University and a BFA from the Academy of Arts University. He lives and works in Oakland California. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Introduction (00:00:00) Brett's introduction to art through skateboarding (00:11:42) Using experiences to inform one's creative process (00:21:45) Honing into instincts (00:26:27) Being challenged to draw better (00:30:22) The combination of aesthetics and meaning (00:37:35) The evolution of Brett's work over the course of 25 years (00:41:33) "The Waiting Series" (00:43:33) Getting his MFA @ Stanford (00:48:31) Conclusions Brett has come to after completing his MFA @ Stanford (00:51:23) What the MFA application process is like @ Stanford (00:56:47) Phenomenology (01:01:08) Brett's recent work regarding duality and technology (01:04:00) Stoicism (01:09:40) GANs / AI (01:12:27) Artists / People Mentioned: William Strobeck (Skateboard Film Director) George Romero (Director) Marshall McLuhan (Writer) Maurice Merleau-Ponty (Philosopher) Paul Cézanne (Painter) René Descartes (Philosopher) Martin Heidegger (Philospher) Books Mentioned: Techgnosis (Erik Davis) The Singularity is Nearer (Ray Kurzweil) Article Read In Episode Intro: "What is Embodiment? Maurice Merleau-Ponty's Philosophy of the Body" by Moses May-Hobbs artistdecoded.com brettamory.com instagram.com/brettamory

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's essay "Wandering and Wondering" can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Living with love and compassion (00:07:48) The journey into understanding (00:11:56) Making impactful decisions (00:15:27) Yoshino's creative life (00:19:41) Manifesting future outcomes (00:25:35) Napolean Hill's concept, "The Definite Chief Aim" (00:27:51) The psychology of money (00:32:02) Yoshino's life as a martial artist (00:36:07) Breaking through a consensus trance (00:42:00) Toxic productivity (00:50:53) Seeking balance (00:53:21) Yoshino's recent revelations (00:59:06) Artists / People Mentioned: Mac Miller (Rapper) Thundercat (Singer/Songwriter/Bassist) Michel Legrand (Composer) Mitch Horowitz (Writer) Phoebe Bridgers (Singer/Songwriter) Justin Daashuur Hopkins (Director/Artist) Erik Davis (Writer) Charles Bukowski (Writer) Jack Kerouac (Writer) William S Burroughs (Writer) Aldous Huxley (Writer) Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Dealing with negative thoughts and emotions Yoshino's perspective shifting while running "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tzu Living in a productivity-focused world Giving ourselves permission to step deeper into ourselves Sufi mysticism Thich Nhat Hanh "Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world." ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Raymond Lee stars as Dr. Ben Song on the new NBC drama "Quantum Leap." Ben is a brilliant quantum physicist leaping through time to put right what once went wrong. Lee also stars in the AMC series "Kevin Can F*** Himself," which begins its second season Aug. 22. Previously, he was a series regular on Alan Ball's HBO series "Here and Now." Additional recurring roles include the HBO Max series "Made for Love," Fox's "Prodigal Son," Amazon's "Mozart in the Jungle" and ABC's "Scandal." On the film side, he is currently appearing in the box office smash "Top Gun: Maverick." Theater credits include the world premiere productions of "Vietgone" at Manhattan Theater Club, for which he was awarded the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Debut; "Office Hour," opposite Sandra Oh, and "Cambodian Rock Band" at the South Coast Repertory. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Raymond and Yoshino being Cal State Long Beach alums (00:06:31) Raymond dropping out of high school and how that affected him psychologically while growing up (00:07:27) Problems with the education system (00:010:05) Finding a love for performance in his youth (00:13:07) Discovering acting through theatre and deciding to become a professional actor while he was in college (00:14:49) Raymond's approach to acting (00:18:37) The importance of having discipline and maintaining solid habits (00:22:53) Embodying characters and manifesting roles (00:25:59) Yoshino shares a personal story highlighting the impact art can have on its viewers (00:36:05) The impact art has made on Raymond's life (00:39:02) The Kybalion and embracing polarities (00:43:56) The Rashomon Effect (00:47:32) Manifesting goals (00:51:18) Honing into and practicing intuition (00:59:22) Raymond and Yoshino speaking about acquiring skill sets (01:10:56) Final words of advice from Raymond (01:22:11) Artists / People Mentioned: Sandra Oh (Actor) Joseph Lee (Painter / Actor) Akira Kurosawa (Film Director) Rubens Charles Cobrinha (BJJ Practioner) Books Mentioned: The Kybalion Films / TV Series Mentioned: Dopesick (2021) Rashomon (1950) artistdecoded.com Raymond Lee's IMDB instagram.com/raymomomo

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Making good use of your observations The cop-out of not feeling inspired Observing people's body language and the way they treat animals Yoshino's perspective on street photography The artist's duty "Our hearts all beat for something." - Yoshino Following one's own personal interests Being honest with one's self The Daemon Building one's perspective Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Questioning illusions Envying what others have Finding a deeper understanding of ourselves Brutal honesty with oneself Dealing with trauma Healing Building your intuitive muscle Being conscious of what we give our time to Writing from a place of honesty Embracing paradoxes Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Elly Smallwood is a figurative and portrait artist living in Canada. She works primarily in acrylics and oils. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Elly moving from Ottawa to the woods The energetic differences she notices between living in a city versus being in the woods Modern-day false prophets and gurus The power of questioning dogmatic principles Art capitalism Trying to seek balance in the need to live a peaceful life, while simultaneously wanting to seek progression in one's career Elly's experiences working with galleries Growth through vulnerability Her perspective of creating portraits of other people in contrast to creating portraits of herself Model vs. muse Elly's bone collection Tarot and its influence on Elly's artwork The Hermit and The Tower in the Major Arcana in Tarot Elly training Muay Thai Working through uncomfortable experiences Artists / People Mentioned: Nina Menkes (Film Director) Books Mentioned: The Richest Man In Babylon (George Samuel Clason) The Kybalion (Three Initiates) The Vegetarian (Han Kang) Films / TV Series Mentioned: Wild Wild Country Portrait of a Lady on Fire Brainwashed: Sex, Camera, Power artistdecoded.com elly.ca instagram.com/ellysmallwood