Take flight at the Island Park Library

The Island Park Library has the models of Island Park resident Joey Rudolph on display this month. Joey found inspiration as an artist very close to home. He became well known in school for his art skills early on. His first major project was a mural in the Francis X. Hegarty School in Island Park.

He applied to only one college, The School Of Visual Arts, but after three years of study he followed his girlfriend to England, with only a one-way ticket. A lucrative career sidelined Joey. He worked in the music business at various jobs; as a sales representative for record labels and a tour merchandise agent.

Back in the States he worked side jobs in retail at different record stores around the New York area.

Unfortunately in 1996, while employed as a supervisor at the HMV record store in New York City, Joey was hit by a taxicab while riding his motorcycle home. Permanent injuries left him in chronic pain with a noticeable limp and the inability to work for a living.

In 2012 he found solace in scale model making as a way to remain creative. He entered a model-building contest on Facebook, and won, getting the most viewers votes. In 2013 he submitted a unique HoverCAR in the REVELL/ GEARZ National championship and won in the modified division. He continues to make models and show his work at library. Last year he displayed his specialty line of Hovercars and this year he is displaying “The History of Flight”; pivotal airplanes from the Wright Brother through to the Virgin Galactic space plane. He future plans include The Space Race, and different science fiction displays using his creativity to make spaceships out of shampoo bottles and hair dryers.