Rod Zullo
Rod Zullo (born 1969, New Hope, Pennsylvania) is an American sculptor known for his work as an animalier, a sculptor of animals. While growing up in Bucks County he was introduced to art through his Grandmother, a professional oil painter. He met notable creatives in the community including the author James Michener and famous woodworker George Nakishima. Zullo studied art professionally at Montana State University, earning a degree in Studio Arts in 1994. Inspired by the wildlife of Montana and his great love of the outdoors he gravitated toward animal sculpture. He continued his education through a ten  year mentorship with the sculptor Floyd Dewitt, who is recognized as one of the top sculptors in the country. During this time Zullo also studied with the animal sculptor Kent Ullberg, known for his large monuments. Influenced greatly by sculptors at the turn of the century such as Rembrandt Bugatti and Paul Troubetskoy, he created a unique style reminiscent of expressionism surfaces with a strong personal narrative. The work is devoted primarily to animals with an emphasis toward equine sculpture. In 2003, he was recognized for his work and awarded the Beverly Hoyt Robertson Memorial Award by the National Sculpture  Society. The award recognizes excellence in sculpture for an artist under of the age of 40. Then in 2005 he was awarded the Polich Tallix Foundry Award from the National Sculpture Society. These awards culminated into full membership as an elected professional in the National Sculpture Society in 2009 followed by electorship as a Fellow in 2014. Zullo has exhibited work in a variety of national shows and is in the permanent collections of The National Museum of Wildlife Art (Jackson, Wyoming), The Leaning Tree Museum (Boulder, Colorado) and Brookgreen Gardens Museum of American Sculpture (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina). He  has also instructed and mentored emerging and professional artists through annual workshops at both the Scottsdale Artists’ School in Arizona, Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina, and the Emerson Center For the Arts and Culture in Montana.