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Updated: Mar 3

As I spend these cold months working in my studio, I keep reminding myself that what the new year brings to me will depend on what I bring to the new year. So alongside my own practice, I’m continuing to donate 10% of art sales to food bank charities within the city of the sale. I’m also enjoying curating the work of other artists in new spaces and balancing offering a new curriculum of workshops where we create together. The calendar is already filling with exhibitions, projects, and workshops on the horizon.


Upcoming Events for 2026


First, there's the upcoming Toronto Artist Project, which features a variety of contemporary work, including sculpture and installations by over 200 juried artists. I am so honoured to be amongst them in this premier Canadian art event. Please note the change in venue and time (due to the shuffling of events to accommodate the World Cup). Please check my exhibits page for more information and my booth location (TBA). Feel free to message me here for a discount code for tickets.


Toronto Artist Project

Note the changed time and venue!!!



Dates and Times:

  • Thursday, March 26: 6 PM – 10 PM (Opening Night Party)

  • Friday, March 27: 12 PM – 8 PM

  • Saturday, March 28: 12 PM – 8 PM

  • Sunday, March 29: 12 PM – 6 PM



Art Show: From Italy with Love

Niagara-on-the-Lake

April 1 - June 30, 2026

Reception: Saturday, April 4th, 2026; 4-7 PM


It has been a true joy to curate this show filled with work by artists who have participated in my Italy painting workshops. With Love from Italy will feature paintings in all media inspired by our surroundings, as we have painted in Tuscany, Puglia, and Sicily over the years. It will be held in Niagara-on-the-Lake's favourite Italian hub, Il Gelato di Carlotta, in the Gallery Room. The show runs from April 1 to June 30, 2026, with over 10 artists and 30 works on exhibit and for sale. Meet the artists at a reception on Saturday, April 4, 2026, from 4-7 PM. Please RSVP by replying here if you wish to attend the reception.




Open Studio Invitation

Niagara-on-the-Lake


My Niagara-on-the-Lake studio will be open to visitors from June to September 2026, with select new works and work-in-progress on exhibit. My studio will be closed over the winter; however, if you wish to schedule a visit outside of open times, please reply to this email, and we can arrange a time.



South Florida Salon Exhibit

January 31 - February 21

Immersive Reception February 21; 5 - 8 PM


I'm honoured to be selected as one of the artists in the Salon Exhibit at Hollywood Arts and Culture Center in South Florida, along with over 50 juried artists. The reception and final auction will be held on February 21 from 5 - 8 PM. It is a fun, immersive event where you can take home a piece of very fine art!


Artists Workshops for 2026


Registration will open next week for my Italy workshop, to be held in the beautiful natural region of Western Sicily. We will be painting in our large, bright professional studio as well as plein air at the surrounding breathtaking vistas. The program includes healthy Sicilian lunches and dinners, along with daily excursions. Please RSVP here to receive details and to be invited to a virtual information seminar.


Painting in Western Sicily
October 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM – October 11, 2026 at 11:00 PMMarsala
Register Now

Niagara-on-the-Lake Art Workshop

August 8, 2026


My full-day workshop is now open for registration. This is an inspiring day of creativity in my Niagara-on-the-Lake studio, where we work in all media and create several works to take home. A healthy lunch and refreshments are included. No experience is necessary. Participation is limited to 12 participants.


Full Day Artist Retreat 2026
CA$198.00
August 8, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMNiagara-on-the-Lake
Register Now

I hope to see you throughout the year. Please let me know if I can help you or answer any questions you may have. All the best for 2026!


Sandra Iafrate


picture of artist Sandra Iafrate and Instagram address
@iafrate.art Instagram

Follow me! For a more current update on studio events, new work, and work in progress, please follow me!



Lastly, if you know someone who is an art enthusiast like yourself, please feel free to pass this email along to them!

 

The Metaphoric Ground for Paintings of Memory and Nostalgia


Above: studio table of maps, lace, paints and mediums.


Many people have been asking me about the underlay of maps in all of my work and it is so interesting sharing their love for this GPS of yesteryear and how maps fit into my new body of work. Maps, with their meandering lines, retro rainbow colours, and organic shapes on crisp, crunchy paper stock, have become a wonderful metaphorical foundation in my art. They have inspired my upcoming solo thesis exhibition, "Portrait of Past and Present," on view at PI Fine Art in Toronto from November 2, 2024, to January 2, 2025.


Maps as Metaphors

A serendipitous find of antique maps several years ago transported me back to cherished road trips—journeys to Algonquin Park and Florida, with their wrong turns, shortcuts, and roadside stops. These maps have found their way into my recent work, where my process responds to their lines, shapes, and colours. Each piece begins with these outdated maps, representing not just geographical spaces but also the passage of time and our shared history.


My mixed-media approach incorporates various found materials, each carrying its own narrative: sketches from old notebooks, vintage book pages, antique textiles like handmade lace and embroidery, and other ephemera from bygone days.


Above: The Dinner Table (detail), 48 x 48 in. mixed media on canvas


Place in Time (detail) 24 x 18 in., Place in Time (detail) 30 x 24 in., Place in Time (detail) 30 x 24 in. charcoal and acrylic on paper.


This body of work explores the dialogue between past and present through large charcoal drawings—figures, portraits, and still-life compositions emerging from historical layers. To emphasize this interplay, I introduce acrylic paint and additional charcoal marks, embracing spontaneity through drips and splatters. These elements represent my contemporary imprint while honouring the past.


Join Me Nov. 2

I warmly invite you to see this map-inspired work at the opening reception of my solo thesis exhibit at PI Fine Art on November 2nd from 5 PM to 7 PM. This collection of 25 works offers a personal exploration of time and identity, and I would be honored to share this artistic journey with you.


Portrait of Past and Present is an M.F.A. Thesis exhibition for the Savannah College of Art and Design.


Opening Reception

November 2, 2024: 5 PM - 7 PM

Venue

PI Fine Art, Toronto

1180 Caledonia Rd, Toronto, ON M6A 2W5

(Exhibition runs through to January 2, 2025)






 

Installation of artwork at Artist Project in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Above: Art installation at Artist Project Toronto (April 2024) © 2024 Sandra Iafrate

 I have finally sat down to share some news and thoughts about the special connections we have made around our mutual appreciation of art.

 

Firstly, I want to thank those who came out to visit me at Toronto Artist Project last month. I can not tell you how much I appreciate (after spending days on end, working away in the studio) how great it is to experience your interpretations of my work and learn about your personal related stories. I don't always get the opportunity to meet those who have questions about my work nor hear how it resonates with them. Meeting you made me realize how making art is really about sharing visual narratives and igniting something meaningful within. That is my ultimate goal as an artist.

 

Also, I'm sending a belated 'thank you' to everyone who visited my studio during the NOTL Rotary Club's Holiday House Tour, which took place way back in December. It was such an honour to have my studio as part of this event and get the opportunity to share my work, process and ongoings with guests while being able to contribute to the Club's initiative in their incredible national and international programs.


Open Studio Invitation

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Along with this, I want to extend a special invitation to visit my Open Studio this summer when I will have some of my new works and work-in-progress on exhibit.

 

Click on a select date to RSVP.

*with artist reception and talk on Sat., June 8th at 7 PM

and

*with artist reception and talk on Sat., Aug. 10th, at 7 PM

 

If you wish to visit outside of these times, please message me by replying to this email to schedule your visit.


Open Studio Visit
June 6, 2024 at 11:00 AM – June 9, 2024 at 4:00 PMNiagara-on-the-Lake
Register Now

Open Studio
August 11, 2024, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PMNiagara-on-the-Lake
Register Now

Upcoming Thesis Exhibit TBA

 As some of you may know I have completed the halfway mark of my Master of Fine Art -Painting at Savannah College of Art and I can now safely say that I have passed my candidacy review and I am currently working towards my graduate thesis and solo exhibit. It will likely be held within the Greater Toronto Area in late Fall and I will be sure to follow up with more information on this once the dates and location are arranged. If you wish to sign up to be invited to the opening please see my exhibits page here. I hope you will be able to join!


Thesis Exhibition - Toronto
Date and time is TBDLocation is TBD
Register Now

South Florida Exhibit: ANIMALS

As part of my MFA requirements, I had the opportunity to spend the most enriching time working as Assistant Curator in South Florida at the Hollywood Arts and Culture Center where I worked on three separate exhibits: "The South Florida Cultural Consortium," "Environmental Futures III" showcasing international women photographers, and "Somewhere I Belong." an immersive digital exhibit by artist AdrienneRose Gionta.

 

I am also excited to be one of the artists in their upcoming group exhibit entitled ANIMALS which runs Sat., May 18 - Sun., Aug. 18, 2024. If you happen to be in the Broward County/Miami/Ft.Lauderdale area you must visit this thriving cultural center and gallery.


ANIMALS
May 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM – August 18, 2024 at 11:00 PMHollywood, Florida
Register Now

Other upcoming exhibits include the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce annual Artistry by the Lake outdoor show where I will show some small works in oil, mixed media, and works on paper over Canada Day weekend June 29 - July 1, 2024.


Artistry by the Lake - Canada Day and 4th of July Weekend
June 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM – July 1, 2024 at 6:00 PM EDTNiagara-on-the-Lake
Register Now


picture of artist Sandra Iafrate and Instagram address
@iafrate.art instagram address

 

Follow me on Instagram

I know we all love to hate social media! However, I am trying to use Instagram more efficiently-- to quickly share finished work, work-in-progress, and upcoming events on a current and more regular basis. My link is @iafrate.art and I invite you to follow me and peek into my day-to-day ongoings. My goal is to be 'real,' with me and my dog, art critic Danté (Alighieri,) so I will not be wearing beautiful garb, or showing fake mock-up designer installations. It's just us, making a mess and figuring out what I need to say on canvas. Hope to see you there.


For Artists

Due to a schedule conflict with my upcoming thesis show, I sadly had to postpone my Sicily retreat initially scheduled for this Fall. In place of this, I've added two separate one-day workshops to be held in Niagara-on-the-Lake: one on Aug. 3rd for beginner and intermediate artists and one to be held on August 4th for advanced working artists. If this interests you, please visit my workshop page for more information and registration or see the links below.



Full Day Artist Retreat 2024
August 3, 2024 at 10:00 AM – August 3, 2025 at 4:00 PMNiagara-on-the-Lake
Register Now

Advanced Painting and Composition 2024
August 4, 2024 at 10:00 AM – August 5, 2024 at 4:00 PMNiagara-on-the-Lake
Register Now

Finally, as promised, I will not add to your inbox too often, but I will follow up in the Fall so I do want to ensure I've added your contacts correctly here. If you are receiving my emails in error or need to unsubscribe or update your information, please do so at the end of my email.


Lastly, if you know someone who is an art enthusiast like yourself, please feel free to pass this email along to them!

For now, Happy Spring All🌷





 

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