With an interest in drawing, painting and photography reaching back to early childhood, Rudy began a life long interest in the arts. As a nine year old on the northwest side of Chicago, with his junior film camera, he would often take grainy black and white snapshots of friends, family and on occasion, the "exotic wildlife" on display at the city zoo. During this period the connection with the American West was established in the Hollywood images of television Cowboy hero's and villain's of the 1950's and 60's. After graduating high school, Rudy attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago. While at the Academy, his studies included life drawing, watercolor, illustration and design. With encouragement and a little assistance from one of his commercial design instructors, Rudy secured a position with a small advertising agency in Chicago. That would mark the beginning of a successful 35 year journey in numerous advertising agencies, industrial design firms and freelance design opportunities. Never losing site of his initial artist passion, he continued to create and photograph during his entire professional career.
In 2007 DeRam Photography was established as a fine art photographic source for high quality limited edition prints and one of a kind photographic art pieces. Today, Rudy and his wife Helen, share a passion for the American West in their "photo safari's" across the country to experience, observe, and document the culture and lifestyle in these beautiful photographic stories. When they're not traveling the West or exhibiting at many of the fine art festivals around the country, Rudy is in the studio working on his latest images, printing, framing or most recently expanding his creative passions with sculpting in clay. Click here to see what's happening at DeRam Sculpture Studio today!