{"id":17018,"date":"2024-11-18T14:34:36","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T14:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/?p=17018"},"modified":"2024-11-18T14:38:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T14:38:33","slug":"sir-hodges-creative-renewal-fellowship-allowed-him-to-work-with-a-london-mentor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/sir-hodges-creative-renewal-fellowship-allowed-him-to-work-with-a-london-mentor\/","title":{"rendered":"Sir Hodge\u2019s Creative Renewal Fellowship allowed him to work with a London mentor"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t

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Sir Hodge\u2019s Creative Renewal Fellowship allowed him to work with a London mentor<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Sir Hodge. Photo credit: Terry Suave.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
By PAGE LEGGETT<\/strong><\/h5>\n
If there\u2019s someone in your field you admire, let them know. And ask them for advice. It could lead to one of the best experiences of your career.<\/p>\n
Take it from someone who knows: Sir Hodge (that\u2019s Erick Hodge\u2019s pseudonym) won a $15,000 Creative Renewal Fellowship<\/strong><\/a> from the ASC, which allowed the digital storyteller to work with an industry hero of his, Oghal\u00e9<\/strong> Alex<\/strong><\/a> of Isoko<\/strong><\/a> in London, on a customized course of study.<\/p>\n
Hodge and Alex connected online several years through mutual friends. \u201cI told Oghal\u00e9 I\u2019d love to learn from him \u2013 how he approaches his business, what he\u2019s doing with his studio, what his process is,\u201d said Hodge. \u201cHe\u2019d never done anything like that before \u2013 but was excited to try.\u201d<\/p>\n
The artist is thrilled with all he learned. \u201cOghal\u00e9 gave me the keys to the kingdom,\u201d he said. \u201cHe asked what I <\/em>wanted to learn so he could tailor the experience to my needs.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
The student becomes a master \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
A multidisciplinary (photography, film, videography and overall creative direction) creative, Hodge is a storyteller at heart. But his tales are told through images rather than words.<\/p>\n
He aims to \u201cexplore the human spirit\u2019s ability to overcome obstacles and push through difficult circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n
You might be surprised to know Hodge is a commercial<\/em> artist. You won\u2019t see his work in galleries (not yet, anyway) \u2013 but you might see it in an ad campaign. It\u2019s perhaps an unusual route for someone whose goal is \u201cto push the boundaries of visual storytelling and to give a voice to those \u2026 often left unheard.\u201d<\/p>\n
His clients and partners \u2013 including Nike, Walmart, Under Armour, the NFL, the NBA, ESPN, Charlotte FC, Pepsi, Ally Bank and more \u2013 seek him out precisely because of his vision. Most find him through word of mouth.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a one-man show \u2013 until he lands an assignment. And then he assembles a team of freelance creatives based on what his client needs.<\/p>\n
His clients appreciate that he takes time to teach them about his art. \u201cOne client told me I do an incredible job of educating them on my process, why I do things a certain way,\u201d he said. \u201cAs a creative, you can believe that everyone<\/em> sees the world as you do, but they don\u2019t. You have to bring people into the fold.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge\u2019s fellowship allowed him to work one-on-one with someone he considered an industry icon \u2013 who then became a friend and collaborator. He got to be part of the creative direction of a shoot \u2013 onsite and also doing editing and post-production on the back end in person and online.<\/p>\n
Hodge took part in brainstorming sessions and learned how someone he considers a creative genius takes an idea from concept through execution. Casting, location scouting, creating mood boards, pitching, pre- and post-production \u2013 nothing was off-limits.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s hardly a beginner when it comes to any of that. \u201cI take pre-production very seriously in every project I do,\u201d he said. \u201cI call that the dating phase. You\u2019re getting to know your client and their goals. The production part is the wedding \u2013 the briefest of the three phases \u2013 and post-production is the marriage. It\u2019s where things live. I give credence and value to all three phases.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge set out to \u201cgain a deeper understanding of the craft of creative direction and the different roles and responsibilities within a production.\u201d He got that \u2013 and much more.<\/p>\n
Trademark visual style <\/strong><\/p>\n
Hodge\u2019s experience amounts to a lot more than the three weeks he spent in London. He began one-on-one video brainstorming sessions and phone calls with Alex this spring.<\/p>\n
Alex\u2019s work is imbued with a sense of calm. His chill vibe is evident in all every project. It\u2019s his hallmark \u2013 and something Hodge admires.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have so much love for Oghal\u00e9,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re kindred spirits in many ways, but totally different in how we approach things. His style is all about calm. We spent a lot of time talking about what that means and how you carry that theme throughout a campaign using \u2018tranquil narratives, harmonizing subjects with their surroundings \u2026 a palette of soft colors and a touch of romanticism.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hodge strives for a distinct, recognizable look and feel to his work \u2013 something that signals to informed viewers that it\u2019s a Sir Hodge image, print ad or TV commercial.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the upper-tier creative directors have their own visual style,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cIn the past couple of months, I think my style has become more refined, but I still have a ways to go. But that\u2019s one of the biggest reasons I wanted to do this. I wanted feedback from an artist I respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the feedback was better than he could\u2019ve imagined. \u201cWhen you talk to someone who\u2019s really established in their creative practice and understands their visual tone, voice and approach,\u201d he said, \u201cthey can see things in you and your work that you may not necessarily see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alex told Hodge not to call the experience an apprenticeship. \u201cHe said we were peers, and that this was more of a collaboration than an internship,\u201d Hodge said.<\/p>\n
The two are still in contact through video and phone sessions they\u2019ll continue through the end of 2024. And then Hodge will pay it forward. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI plan to use the knowledge and experience I gained \u2026 to give back to my community,\u201d he wrote in his grant application. \u201cI aim to thoroughly document my fellowship experience,\u201d and use it to \u201cinspire and guide others in their creative pursuits.\u201d<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t give up <\/strong><\/p>\n
\u201cThis was an invaluable experience, and I am indebted to the Arts and Science Council for making it happen,\u201d Hodge said. His gratitude is boundless, and that\u2019s perhaps because this wasn\u2019t the first time he\u2019s applied for this ASC fellowship.<\/p>\n
It was his fourth<\/em> time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first year I applied, I didn\u2019t get it,\u201d he said. \u201cThe second year I applied \u2013 during the pandemic \u2013 ASC provided partial funding to a couple of people, and I was one of the lucky ones. That grant allowed me to go to Puerto Rico for a family ancestry project. The third year, I didn\u2019t get it, and I was really bummed. The application takes a lot of time to complete. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d apply again. Other people I know applied, and I\u2019ve even pitched some ideas for their applications for grants they won<\/em>! It was very discouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the fourth time proved to be the charm.<\/p>\n
Judges were unanimous in selecting Hodge, said Ivan Garnica, ASC\u2019s grant manager. He was one of 25 artists to apply for one of 10 slots. \u201cThe judges said Sir Hodge had strong work samples and showed a love for and commitment to the Charlotte community,\u201d Garnica said. \u201cThey praised the \u2018clear ask and clear plan.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Garnica added that artists developing their own course of study \u2013 as Hodge did \u2013 is a little unusual, \u201cbut it\u2019s incredible when people do it. It\u2019s even more incredible when artists use the fellowship to do something to benefit the people of Charlotte.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge is \u201cforever grateful to the ASC\u201d and said that \u201cif the Arts and Science Council was a person, I would hug them and say, \u2018Thank you; you blessed me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge came home with confirmation from his mentor-turned-friend-and-colleague that he\u2019s on the right path. \u201cI\u2019m hitting my stride and have new inspiration and a new level of confidence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
And he made the most of his time in one of the world\u2019s greatest cities. When he wasn\u2019t working, he was visiting cultural sites or seeing a soccer match. He said, \u201cI felt so integrated into London that I believe, in another life, I might\u2019ve lived there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Learn more about Sir Hodge at his website, <\/em>sirhodge.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. Or follow him on Instagram at <\/em>instagram.com\/holasirhodge<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em>
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Sir Hodge\u2019s Creative Renewal Fellowship allowed him to work with a London mentor By PAGE LEGGETT If there\u2019s someone in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17491,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-fullwidth.php","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-blog","category-cultural-community-highlights"],"menu_order":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17018"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17503,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17018\/revisions\/17503"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsandscience.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}