Ed Sirokman: Postal Worker by Trade, Painter by Passion
A crisp winter day, freshly fallen snow covered a mountain stream and sparked Ed Sirokman’s inner artist, prompting him to set up his easel deep inside an Evergreen Park. “That’s when I saw fresh mountain lion tracks,” recalled Sirokman. Too dedicated to his craft to turn back, he kept adding colors to his canvas. “I was so tuned in I kept painting. But, I knew it was crouched somewhere watching me. ”
The raw Colorado wilderness as his muse, Ed Sirokman, a Colorado native, is willing to take to the backcountry under any circumstances to find inspiration. In fact, he prefers braving the elements by foot, bike, snowshoes and even skis to access an ideal painting scene. “Snow, rain, bugs, you name it, and I have painted in it. They all add challenges. I have even used frozen paint while painting in Castle Rock,” says Sirokman. This adventurous spirit sets him and his work apart. Each piece tells a story not only through the landscape brought to life on the canvas, but also of the journey the artist undertook to create each masterpiece.
A postal worker by trade, over the last 34 years, Ed Sirokman has navigated the streets of Cherry Hills delivering mail. However, his true passion, art, has led him to dedicate his pastime to navigating the Colorado wilderness in search of inspirational landscapes. Having taken a pastime approach to his art career, Sirokman sometimes wonders how his life as an artist would be shaped differently had he taken advantage of art scholarships offered after high school. However, by taking classes at the Arts Student League of Denver, painting with Plein Air Artists Colorado, or even selling his work at art markets, he keeps his passion alive “There’s a part of me that was afraid art would become a chore if I made it my job,” says Sirokman. “This way I don’t have to worry about filling orders or painting for a specific market.”
Watercolor, Sirokam’s favorite way to splash the palette, is only one of many mediums he uses to create his art. Through the use of oils and pastels, in addition to printmaking and sculpting with marble from Marble, CO, Sirokman enjoys exploring different techniques. His vast array of works can be seen in various galleries across the Denver-metro area.
Sirokman says he wouldn’t change a thing about his journey as an artist because his experiences have done much to add color to his canvas. “You don’t have to let your passion go even if it isn’t your main job,” says Sirokam. A lesson we can all apply to our own aspirations.
