Cody-born artist Jeffrey B. Rudolph’s artistic journey began in his father’s carpentry shop when he was a child carving on scraps of wood. At the next “Local Lore with Bob Richard” program, he shares that journey — from how he got his start through struggles and successes to today.

The free, illustrated talk takes place Thursday, April 20 at noon in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Coe Auditorium.

Although he started college as a music major, Rudolph shifted his focus to sculpture and earned his bachelor-of-arts degree from Brigham Young University in 1981. He works in a variety of mediums, including bronze, stone, wood, and terracotta. He enjoys the challenge of art competitions and has won several regional and national awards.

Rudolph is an annual participant in the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, and frequently teaches sculpting classes for youth at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. He also spends a week most summers as Artist-in-Residence in the Center’s Whitney Western Art Museum. Find out more about Rudolph and his work at rudolphsculpture.com.

 At the end of the talk, Rudolph and Richard also discuss a few other local artists who worked in various mediums. Among these are photographers Charles Belden and Jack Richard; taxidermists Will Richard and Ned Frost; and some artists who spent time in the Cody area, including W.R. Leigh and Edward T. Grigware.

Following the program, Bob signs copies of his books at the Center’s Points West Market.

The Local Lore series is hosted and coordinated by the Center’s McCracken Research Library. The next talk in the series, on June 8, features the history of ranching on Rattlesnake Creek.

 For more information on all Center talks and other events, visit centerofthewest.org/events.