Name: Cody Gregg Hudson

Age: 31

Location: Chicago, ILL

URL/s: www.struggleinc.com

Tell us a little bit about your background? Where you are from, etc?
I'm originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin. but have been travelling throughout the states for the last 8 or so years. Although I always seem to end up in Chicago (where I'm currently based out of).

How did you start out as an artist and designer?
I've always been into drawing and painting, and was working for minimum wage painting animation cells for some fire safety video, when the girl sitting across from me told me about a graphic arts program at the local tech college. The program ended up being pretty bad, but at least it opened my eyes to the design world. So I took out a loan, bought a computer and started doing flyers for cash while trying to figure out how all the programs worked.

Did you go from creating art and then move into graphic design? Or was it the other way round?
It went from me being not that serious about my art to me being pretty serious design and now I'm focussing back again on the art side of things
again. Work seems to come and go in waves. So Ikeep going back and forth between art and design.

Do you think that traditional art styles transfer across well to graphic design?
Anything handmade can easily find its way back into design. Ilike seeing design work that feels more touched by human hands. I like looking at older Paul Rand stuff or Bruno Munari stuff, its got a great hand sense to it.

Tell us about Struggle inc.?
Struggle is a big word, and it means a lot to a lot of different people. The idea of making something corporate out of the most un-corporate thing possible (something as emotional and personal as someones struggle) is an interesting and yet scary concept. That's where the idea of struggle inc originally came from. I also really liked that you could read multiple meanings into it. With a lot of my more personal work I want people to be able to read multiple meanings into something. You can take a phrase like "living the dream®" and each person is going to read it in a different way. Are you poking fun at someones whole livley-hood or are you embracing it? Struggle inc. is also supposed to be taken a bit tongue in cheek as well, I'm no revolutionary, I'm just a designer.

Is Struggle inc. your full time place of work? and if not, where do you work?
This is me, all day, every day.

You have in the past worked with some high profile companies and clients (Burton, Nike, Ecko Unltd.), how do you find working with clients as opposed to personal work?
It all depends, some client stuff is super fun, because you've got this challenge in front of you and its your job to solve it visually. It also serves as a good break in between personal work. If I'm working on a 2 month job for Ecko, it gets me re-charged and ready to do my own work after its done. I't works the other way as well. After working on paintings and personal work for a month straight, I'm usually ready to tackle something completely different for a minute to work a different part of my brain. Client stuff is nice as well because it usually gets printed and hits the streets right away. I love going out to lunch and seeing someone rocking an t-shirt Idid, or going into a record store and seeing a sleeve I've done. it feels alot more "for the people".

Who are the favourite artists that you have worked with?
I really enjoy doing record sleeves with Evan Hecox, because he sends me the
illustration, Iadd a pinch of type and a barcode and its done. His illustrations are so nice they require no meddling on my part and always make for a great sleeve.

Do you have any new projects coming up that you can tell us about?
I've been trying to get this t-shirt brand "HEADLOCK" off the ground for a while, hopefully that launches soon. I've also been having fun and messing around with making some handmade pillows and home acccesories with my girl Lori. I've got a group show in Chicago @ 645 gallery in November, a big group skateboard show in Japan in December @ Rocket gallery and a show in Portland @ Compound gallery in January.

What do you know about Australian design/designers?
I have to be honest, I'm probally familair with quite a few of them, Ijust never realized what country they are from. Isee so much good work out there these days, Iloose track of what comes from where sometimes.

Any final comments?
Don't get too caught up in the game so much that you forget whats actually
important in life. Drink tea, go outside, ride a bike, skate a pool, kiss a girl. Live this life to the fullest because before you know it, you'll be old like me.

And in case I forgot to mention it, Midwestside!!!!!

Thanks Cody!