In Good Company: Chad Kouri

An ongoing series of short interviews with artists that we work with or admire called “In Good Company.” Answers are lightly edited for length and clarity.

Location: Chicago, IL

Hometown: Clarkston, MI

Education: Some college… Columbia College Chicago

Favorite Color: Yellow but transitioning to blue

Hobby: JB Skating and rock collecting

As a child, did you know you wanted to be an artist? 

There’s a story my mother shares where she says that my kindergarten teacher once told her and my father that I was going to be an artist. But, I’m not sure I felt the same at that age. I did learn some handy skills and crafts from my grandmother and aunt when I was young: sewing, knitting, origami, friendship bracelets, beaded gecko keychains, etc. That led me to be interested in making a living by making things, which led me to design, which then led me to a studio art practice.

Have you had any jobs outside of the art world? If so, how have those jobs informed your work as an artist?

Yes, plenty. I started working at a Christmas tree farm when I was 14 years old. I’ve worked in retail, sold coupons door to door, canvassed for Greenpeace, bused tables. But I took my first freelance design job when I was 16 for a dance studio my two sisters and I went to and always had some kind of design gig going on in the background from there on out. Fliers for real estate companies and events, logos and posters for the music industry, etc. I also worked at a photo studio that shot senior photos for a while in high school. Theories and concepts of design and visual communication are a huge influence in my art-making.

What is your favorite non-art object in your studio right now? Why do you have it?

This is a great question. My studio-mate Andy Hall has a bass guitar that I’ve fallen in love with over the past two years. But I guess a musical instrument can still be looked at as an art object. Aside from that, I have a pretty crazy paper ephemera collection, all sorted by year. My favorite piece from that collection at the moment is a small narrow coated chipboard box with strawberries printed on the side of it. Something about the box size, the box material, and the printed fruit graphic feels so satisfying.

What has been a defining moment of your artistic career so far? 

I was diagnosed with Dyslexia when I was only 7 years old or so, so I don’t really remember a time before being aware of it. About 6 or 8 years ago, I realized how much my dyslexia informs my studio practice. Since then I’ve looked at that “learning disability” as a huge strength in my creative process. There’s even an article I reference often about The Upsides of Dyslexia from the New York Times (which is actually linked out in my email signature).

How do you measure your own success in the art world?

This is a tricky question. I don’t believe I measure success as it relates to the art world at large. I measure success in much smaller circumstances. Was a specific interaction a person had in my exhibition a success? Does this artwork composition feel right? Did I hit my minimum monthly income goal? Those are the questions I’m asking, while constantly thinking about my long term trajectory as a working artist. Reminding myself that it’s a marathon and not a sprint is something I have to do often to keep me positive and moving forward in the right direction. 

If you were placing artwork in an office, what three artists would you be most excited to work with?

Yikes, only three!? Okay…. Bridget Riley, Judy Chicago, Hayal Pozanti and Carmen Herrera. Oops, that’s four.

To see more of Chad Kouri’s work, check out his website or Instagram.

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