Obituary of Dorothy Polockow

LITTLE FALLS - Dorothy Polockow, 74, died on October 22, 2022, from complications of pneumonia at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, in Utica, NY. She was the daughter of Rita and the late Andrew Polockow, of Little Falls, NY. Dorothy was born in Yonkers, NY. She spent her formative years there, as well as in Upstate NY at her grandparents’ farm and lastly in Rome, NY. She graduated from the Philadelphia College of Art in 1970, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design. She was employed by several advertising agencies that included the New Studio, New York City, Bevis Industries, Hartsdale, NY, Lockwood Kent, White Plains, NY and Sklar-Lenett Associates, Port Chester, NY. Her studio work was expansive. She worked on all facets of design that included the creation of ads, posters, mailers, point of purchase displays, packaging, mail order catalogs, booklets, calendars, flyers, newspaper ads/copy, photography and lettering, etc. She enjoyed working with many clients, some of which included Paramount Pictures, Seagram’s, Girl Scouts of America, CBS Fox, Playboy Book Club, Time-Life Records and Yankee Yearbook. Dorothy was passionate about the arts and the creative process. She was interested in exploring all types of artistic media that became especially therapeutic when a life-altering diagnosis of mental illness impacted her life and derailed her professional career. Early on, she worked in hand lettering, creating her own fonts and working in calligraphy. She was a talented painter, especially adept at painting flowers, using watercolor and acrylic and oil paint. She also enjoyed sculpture, film photography and pencil and chalk drawing. She grew herbs and created her own spices and made herb and lavender sachets. She won several art competitions throughout the years at various events and expos. Her greatest talent was evident in the fiber arts category. She quilted by hand, embroidered, sewed and weaved, on a large floor loom. She knit her own clothing, crocheted and worked with macrame. She was also a member of the Leatherstocking Spinners Guild, along with her mother, Rita, where she took part in the whole process of fiber creation, from shearing, carding (cleaning) and dying and spinning of wool. Together, they enjoyed sharing the craft of spinning on antique wheels and demonstrated at fairs and events in the upstate area. Dorothy gifted many of her artistic pieces to family members over the years where they will remain as treasured remembrances of her talent. Dorothy is survived by her mother, Rita Polockow, of Dartmouth, MA. She will be interred privately, at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Yonkers, NY. Arrangements are in the care of her longtime family friends at the Enea Family Funeral Home, 24 West Monroe Street, Little Falls, New York 13365, Enea, Ciaccia and Applegate Funeral Directors (315) 823-2424.