Cody Goodin - The artistic and spiritual journey of Cody Goodin

One of my big obsrssions of late is that of collecting fashion dolls and action figures. It all started as a means to create some fun scenes to photograph. Funny though, I have yet to actually create any of those scenes. But, that's another story. So, I have been collectiong these little plastic and rubber people now for several years. I am hooked. I love creating stories for them and it is a bit of a childhood I never had and desperately wanted. Now as an older adult, I can choose to play with dolls. The above pictured is one of my recent and prized gifts to myself. I call her Claudette and she is a Phicen Super Seamless doll. She has a nicely articulated internal stainless steel skeleton. This allows for more realistic posing and movement. Her skin is a silicone rubber which gives it a flesh like feel. The possibilities for dressing her are endless. Her proportions are more human like too than those of Barbie. She came dressed in the skimpiest of bikinis/ This is a ra...

"Imaginary time is a new dimension, at right angles to ordinary, real time." Stephen Hawking Hello my friendly followers out there. I thought I'd post a little tid bit about my love of photography. One of the things that many photography teachers will tell you is that it is always a good idea to look closely at your surroundings. You learn to develope your artistic eye. One thing in particular is to look up. That is what I do a lot of is look up at the buildings in the downtown of the city where I work. I love seeing the layers of buildings placed one in front of the other. But, what I am truly obsessed with is angles. I enjoy seeing the interplay of the different angles and values of light. It is like a symphony of shapes and colors to me. The above shot is one taken while I was waiting for my ride home one day not long ago. It was late in the day about 5:40 pm. As I stood there I looked up across the street and noticed the striking angles and values tha...

The Urban Rune I would like to discuss this time is Tiwaz, the Sky God. It is usually symbolized as an arrow which can also sometimes be seen as a spear or literal arrow. I find this rune to be one that doesn't appear very often. In my earlier explorations of the Runes I always looked at this Rune as embodying the essence of strength and courage. Though I suppose it can still be taken in that context, I have since realized a deeper connection with Tiwaz. In the element of the sky it is the domain of intelligence, escoteric knowledge and the like. So, I began to really think about what this magical symbol means in my own life when it shows up. I borrowed this defenition from sunnyway.com as a great jumping off point to the meanings I subscribe too. " Honor, justice, leadership and authority. Analysis, rationality. Knowing where one's true strengths lie. Willingness to self-sacrifice. Victory and success in any competition or in legal matters.." The knowing wher...

In this issue of Urban Runes we will look at Ehwaz (M) or the horse as it is symbolized. The simple version is it is a rune of movement or moving. So, for my image I chose the leading lines of tail lights from cars to emphasize the idea of movement. In my interpretation of this energy it means taking action or moving towards something. That something can be a goal, or even a physical place. When Ehwaz shows up it is usually a very angular M shape. It means get moving or act now towards a goal or whatever you have been hum hauling about. The time is right to move along. The universe needs us to be moving in order to direct our energy towards our desires. That is a simple law of physics. An object at rest remains at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. But, an object in motion can be guided by gentle nudges in the direction we need to go. This allows the universe to put coincidences in our path to help us achieve that which we desire. So, remember if Ehwaz shows up in yo...

Hagalaz or Hagal is a rune that many fear to see appear in their journey. It is translated to mean hail. We all know how destructive natural events like hail storms can truly be on our environment. That is the essence of what this energy represents. A destructive force in our lives. Of course this can come in many ways. But, I look at this particular rune as a cousin to the tower card on the Tarot. It does represent destruction but, from the clearing away we can have a new start. When I see Hagal appear in my spiritual journey, I pause to reflect on what needs to be destroyed in a spiritual sense or even literal one in my life. What do I need to let go of in order to move forward or grow as a person. As with any destructive force it is initially upsetting. But, once the dust clears we just move on. This particular energy encourages us to leave the rubble behind and start fresh. That way you are not taking any baggage or damaged parts with you. My challenge to you out there is to...

This is the second installment in the urban runes series. I wanted to say a few more things about the rune IS. Winter still has a strong grip on my part of the country. So, the influence of IS prevails. One aspect of this powerful symbol is that of caution or waiting and listening. It is a time when we need to be patient for the seeds we have planted earlier in our lives to have a chance to build their roots into the earth. It is a time of rest and reflection. The image I have shared here also cautions to stop and smell the roses. When you feel stuck or anxious, go within and listen to your inner voice, your heart. What are you not doing? What do you need to do? How can you bring more love, light and peace into your life? I used to hate getting this rune in a reading or when I do my daily pick. But, now it reminds me to stop and listen. Why do I feel stuck or frustrated? Ice is a great teacher. We often times can find great beauty in winter and the ice. IS is no different. We ca...

"Transformation literally means going beyond your form." -  Wayne Dyer Transformation is a process. Sometimes it is a slow and all consuming process. Other times it can be quick and relatively painless. We are all under a state of transformation in one form or another. Most times we are not consciously aware of the process. However if one is in a personal spiritual practice, our attention can be gently guided to experience our trans formative process. It is this later state that I have been in for quite a few years. I have noted the spiral like cycles that my life and spirit evolves and changes. This is many times reflected in my art.  I have found myself at an interesting fork in the road. I am making big changes to how I create art and what is important to me. My spiritual practice or process has been a silent partner for most of the time. Not always evident in my work. But, I have decided to make a more concerted effort to change that. I would like to choose...