Cody Richardson License Plate Art
Cody Richardson is a Colorado native who grew up exploring the rivers and streams of the Rocky Mountains. In 2009, he switched gears from a career in fire fighting to pursue a personal passion for fly fishing and unique artwork. Starting out by creating personal designs in his home shop for friends and family, these pieces caught on through local Colorado fly shops, and are now carried sold in shops around the world. The most rewarding aspects of this career for Cody are coming up with new and intricate designs, collaborating on custom art commissions, license place ‘hunts’, and commemorating the passions and life events of his customers.
How It’s Made: I think what really sets my license plate pieces apart is the attention to detail. I’ve even developed a proprietary technique used to wrap the plates around the fish’s outline, giving each piece a seamless look when viewed from the side. All of my work is hand-built in my garage/studio in Ft. Collins, CO from license plates I’ve sourced from all over the globe.
Why License Plates: I got the idea while on a road trip, looking at the different license plates people have on the road and the pride they feel in their states. I then went on a very challenging hunt to find license plates to build my first Colorado trout. I find my plates through a network of other collectors throughout the country and abroad. These partners help me find the plates that bring out the rustic, outdoor vibes that make my pieces so unique. For my international plates, I like to seek out new material on destination fishing trips and excursions into far-flung regions, which make for some very interesting adventures and stories.