Jeff Wolf
Jeff Wolf is a renowned sculptor and founder of 360-Imagery and Western Art Rodeo Association, an organization that promotes Western artists. He was raised on a ranch and later managed one in Colorado. His work in sculpture predominantly features the life of a rancher and cowboy. He was selected by the Professional Bull Riders Inc. to create the international award, The Ty Murray Top Hand Award. He also teaches workshops and does fundraising for organizations. His work has raised more than $950,000 in charitable contributions.
As a child, Wolf loved creating and drawing pieces depicting life in the West. “At the age of 6 he began molding little Western figures out of clay that his parents bought him for Christmas. At age 8 he had his first piece published in Western Horseman, which was a soap carving of a buffalo, and in 1975 he cast his first piece — a rodeo scene of a bull and its rider.”[1]
Rather than capture a moment from a photograph, his pieces are inspired by a story or his imagination.
“It probably wouldn’t mean much if it didn’t have a story behind it for me,” he said. “… Unless you’ve spent time in the saddle, ridden through this kind of weather, cut a calf out of a cow because it’s coming backwards and it’s been dead for two days in negative-30 degree weather — you really can’t experience and put that into your heart unless you’ve been there and done it.”[2] For a piece called “Saddle Iron,” Wolf joked that it took him three days and 40 years to complete.[3] Wolf, a member of the Bascom family, rodeoed professionally for eight years in bareback and bull riding events. He was educated at Snow College and Utah State University and lives in Utah.
