About the Cover Artist: Sandi Poltorak

Owls hold a particular fascination for Routt County artist Sandi Poltorak, whose piece, “Moonlighting,” graces the cover of this edition of the Yampa Valley Arts & Culture Guide.

“I have always loved owls. They are complicated and amazing animals – Mother Nature at its best,” Sandi says.

Sandi has never seen a barred owl like the one that is depicted in “Moonlighting” in its natural environs, but she says, “It’s definitely on my bucket list.”

Owls are a subset of one of Sandi’s favorite subjects: birds. She suspects her fascination with them started with her brother, who is a birder. “I love drawing birds,” she says. “They’re so colorful and different.” She was once dubbed “the bird lady” by a gallery client because she has created so much aviary artwork. 

Much of Sandi’s work depicts wildlife in its natural setting.  She considers famed Canadian painter Robert Bateman as a mentor in this regard.

Her medium is pencil. Sometimes considered a tool for sketching, in Sandi’s hands, pencil becomes a magical wand, used to create intricate, vibrant fine art. Her fascination with pencil can be traced back to her work as a composite artist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

After she retired from her 20-year career, Sandi continued to draw portraits, often of Indigenous people. She cites legendary American painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell as her inspiration. “I just lost my mind the first time I saw his work.”

After spending time in Bozeman, Montana, Sandi was drawn to the Yampa Valley, partly due to her love of skiing and hiking, but also because of the arts community. She enjoys the camaraderie of her fellow artists at Pine Moon Fine Art in downtown Steamboat and  collaborates with them on occasion. Most recently she has been working with glass artist Jennifer Baker and printmaker Jill Bergman.

“I’m livin’ the dream,” Sandi says.

Sandi’s work can be viewed at Pine Moon Fine Art, 117 Ninth St., and online at www.sandipoltorakart.com.