Location: United States
As a child, born in Denver, Colorado, and growing up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Sandy Graves first
displayed her work at the county fairs as a 4-H member. As she continued her education, she worked
in many different mediums. Sculpture was always a favorite and came naturally.
Graves sees bronze sculpture as being a friendly and beautiful medium. She enjoys watching the
public interact with art. In sculpture, viewers can walk around it, touch it, and become part of the artistic expression in a very personal way.
After graduating from CSU in 1993 with a degree in fine arts and a concentration in Sculpture, Graves
began work as a high school Art teacher in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and continued in that field
for 16 years.
In 1999 Graves cast and sold her first bronze sculpture. Since then she has continued to work in the medium realistically and abstractly. She has been awarded and completed three significant commissions. The first was a portrait of the founder of the Lowell Whiteman School. The second was a life-size student for The Scottsbluff Public School foundation in Scottsbluff NE. The third and largest was created for the Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce, and has been installed on the Courthouse lawn in downtown Steamboat Springs.
Realism and abstract styles have both been popular for her. Graves' enjoys making her wildly expressive series of abstract horses. It is a familiar subject for her as she owned and rode horses as a young girl. They have always been in her art.
1987-1988 North Texas State University
1988-1993 Colorado State University
BA, Sculpture Concentration, Teaching Certificate
Solo
2014 “A Brief Retrospective,” The Depot, Steamboat Springs, CO
2010 “Horse of a Different Color”, Rare Gallery, Jackson Hole WY
Group
2016 4th Annual Small Works Show, The Brinton Museum, Big Horn, WY
2016 Society of Animal Artists 56th Exhibition, Houston Museum of Natural
Science Houston, TX
2016 Art for Horses, The Pace Center, Parker, CO
2016 “Birds in Art”, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
2016 “Wildscapes”, The Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington , VT
2016 “Weekend in the West”, Evergreen Fine Art, Evergreen, CO
2016 “Animalia”, Loveland Museum Gallery, Loveland, CO
2016 “All About Texas”, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX
2016 3rd Annual Art on the Llano Estacado, Museum of Texas Tech University,
Lubbock, TX
2016-2009 Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO
2016 Governor’s Art Show, Loveland Museum/Gallery, Loveland, CO
2015 Vying 2015: International Art Competition, Viophilia Gallery, Miami, FL
2015 Society of Animal Artists 55th Exhibition, Roger Tory Peterson Institute
Jamestown ,NY , The Evelyn and Peter Haller Memorial Award for 3-D
“Thrill of the Chase”
2015 14th Lone Tree Art Expo, Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree, CO
1st Place Sculpture Award
2015 Art for Horses, Lakewood Cultural Center, Denver , CO
Juror’s Choice Award, “A Well Deserved Rest”
2015 “Gone to the Dogs”, Niza Knoll Gallery, Denver, CO
2015 “The 5 B’s”, The Wayne Art Center, Wayne ,PA
2015 “Art of the Animal Kingdom XX”, Bennington Center for the Arts,
Bennington ,VT
2015 American Women Artists On Line Juried Show and National Juried
Competition , Bonner David Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ
2015 Sculpture at the River Market, Little Rock, AR
2015-2006 Circle 7 Gallery Steamboat Springs, CO: ongoing featured artist’s show
approximately every 6 months; show: Breathe ( Feb 2015)
2015-2009 Steamboat All Arts Festival, Steamboat Springs, CO
2012 Waterfowl Festival, Easton, MD
2012 “Love”, an online Exhibition, National Sculpture Society
2013 Southeastern Wildlife Exhibition, Charleston, SC
2013-2010 Aspen Art Festival, Aspen, CO
2010 Waxlander Gallery, ”Rising”, Santa Fe, NM
2010 Downtown Denver Arts Fest, Denver, CO
2008 Uptown Columbus Sculpture Walk, Monuments, Columbus, GA
2007 A Woman Made Gallery, “In Praise of Physical Labor”, Chicago, IL
2007 Steamboat Art Museum, Opening Show, Steamboat Springs, CO
2001 Steamboat Art Depot, “Wood Fiber and Metal “, Steamboat Springs ,CO
Collections or Public Art
2016 Escalante Hall, “In Flight”, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO
2016 Benson Sculpture Park, “Cotton & Clementine”, Loveland, CO
2016 San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, “Ruby” and “Bugle III”, Friday Harbor, WA
2015 Public Sculpture Gardens: Highlands Ranch, CO: Northglenn, CO, Westminster,
CO, Sheridan, WY, Gillette, WY
2014 Vermont Law School, “Flow”, South Royalton, VT
2009 Yampa Valley Medical Center, Family Birthing Center “Lullabies”,
Steamboat Springs, CO
2008 Routt County Courthouse, “Chamber Legacy”, Steamboat Springs, CO
2005 Scottsbluff High School, “Ruby”, Scottsbluff, NE
2003 Lowell Whitman School, “Lowell Surveying the Valley”, Steamboat Springs, CO
Tango is a sculpture depicting a mature regal bird that is the Queen of her realm. I sculpt the attitude of an animal or bird not necessarily the body.
I love the challenge of communicating the emotions I want to express in a non-verbal way. Tango is the second Great Egret that I have sculpted. The first
“ Dance” was putting on a showy performance with his wings outstretched. This egret just needs a subtle sultry pose to express her power. My use of negative space allows for the viewer to add their own interpretation, of course.
28.5"x9"x4"
edition of 35
Fine Art Bronze
2015
This sculpture was inspired by the Pro Challenge starting in Steamboat Springs where Sandy Graves lives and works.
9 cyclists
40"x9"x5'
Edition of 35
2015
Fine Art Bronze
Mars the War Horse
17"x8.5"x3'
edition of 35
2016
Fine Art Bronze
Moose couple on bronze rock
33"x14"x24"
edition of 35
2016
Fine Art Bronze
Sweet little fox
5"x4"x2,5"
edition of 50
2016
Fine Art Bronze
An otter chasing fish for dinner
37"x13.5"x10.5"
edition of 30
2013
Fine Art Bronze
“Tango”
“Peloton”
“Mars”
“Browsing”
“Sly 5"”
“Thrill of the Chase”
