Shahar Solander was born and raised in Missoula, where her love for painting began at the dining room table with her grandmother before she even learned to read. Creativity has been a lifelong passion, one that continues to shape both her daily life and her artistic path. Since 2017, Solander has worked primarily with soft pastels while also exploring acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, sometimes blending the mediums to create new effects. She often paints plein air studies around western Montana, later refining those observations into finished pieces in her studio.For Solander, painting is both grounding and essential, a daily act of connection to the places and moments that inspire her most.