Sandy Scott

Sandy Scott began her studies at the Kansas City Art Institute in 1961. She worked as an architectural delineator and with Calvin Motion Pictures as an animation background artist. Always intrigued by flight, she obtained her pilot's license in 1965. However, the airlines refused to hire her, claiming she was too short, so she began working as a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines. After an airline accident, Scott returned to art and opened a portrait studio in San Francisco. Dissatisfied with portraiture, she soon closed the studio and began drawing and etching wildlife. The Shoal Gallery in Austin, Texas, discovered Scott's etchings and gave her a one-woman show, which was an instant success. Within the year, she was represented by twelve galleries. Scott began sculpting after a 1981 trip to China, where she was influenced by many sculptors.

In her work, Scott attempts to portray the beauty of movement. She believes her sculptures of birds in flight are informed by her knowledge of aerodynamics. Although sections of her sculptures reveal action, others parts remain static. She was influenced by Rodin's use of movement and natural distortion, altering elements but preserving their characteristic appearance. In contrast to her tightly drawn etchings, Scott adopted a much looser style in her sculpture to achieve the desired effect. Her pieces are not weighed down with detail, but give an overall impression of a scene. Scott says, "If I were to model every feather, every minute detail, I'd be producing a specimen, not a work of art in which the viewer can participate." The National Museum of Wildlife Art's Mallard Duet exemplifies Scott's excellent sense of movement. This sculpture won the Ellen P. Speyer Prize at the National Academy of Design in 1988.

Scott has received awards from the National Academy of Design, the Allied Artists, the New York Pen and Brush, the American Artist's Professional League, the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, and a Gold Medal from the National Academy of Western Art. She is a member of the American Artist's Professional League, the Society of Animal Artists, the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, and the Northwest Rendezvous Group. Scott's work is recognized in many museums and private collections, including the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Miramichi Salmon Museum in Canada, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art.