Ongoings for Spring

Niagara-on-the-Lake Spring Painting Workshop

Inspiration is budding all around us as the weather finally gets warmer (although there were spring flakes falling outside my studio last week!)

With budding leaves and the fresh smell of spring air, I'm looking forward to more painting and getting outside.

Coming up, I have a 2-day painting workshop held in the beautiful historical town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Saturday, May 14th and Sunday, May 15th, from 9:30am to 3:30pm with break for lunch. We will be studying spring subjects; birds, buds and blossoms! Hopefully one of the nearby fruit orchards will be in full bloom and we can make our own version of Van Gogh's cherry blossoms. The workshop is held in a restored heritage building, The Niagara Pumphouse, set on the banks of the Niagara River. Check out the link for details at http://niagarapumphouse.ca/courses/course/w8-spring-painting/spring-2016 or contact me at iafrate.art@gmail.com

(Image: cherry blossom study, Sandra Iafrate)

Last Call for Portugal!

A 'take to Portugal' pile has been accumulating in the corner of my studio, but I keep promising myself NOT to take the kitchen sink (although, that would be handy whilst painting outdoors.) I can't wait to visit our little village, completely restored by owners Ana and Diogo, adorned with original artifacts and traditional tools. We will work in one of the stone and whitewashed cottages, but also head out to wonderful towns and villages nearby. The highlight will be Sintra Palace and surrounding mystical gardens, where we have permission to paint amidst this amazing inspiration! To learn more about this trip visit my workshop page (photo above: cottage at Aldeia da meta Pequena, Portugal)

25th Annual Garden Tour Painting Demonstration

I have been asked to paint in the Niagara-on-the-Lake horticultural societies highly anticipated garden tour coming up July 9th and the ideas, not to mention gardens, are abundant! I can't wait to get my easel out for this wonderful event.

Tickets for the tour are available at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/25th-annual-garden-tour-niagara-on-the-lake-horticultural-society-tickets-20559261304

or tickets can be purchased at Mori Gardens, TD Bank, Virgil, Seaway Gardens and Farms, NOTL Chamber of Commerce and Mullen Gardens in Niagara Falls by early May 2016 or at any garden on the day of the Tour. I will be posting details and map once it becomes available.

I do hope you can join me in bringing our easels outdoors! Happy Spring!

Link to the 'last of the snowflakes' April, 2016 https://www.facebook.com/strivieri/videos/10153368459200899/

Work in progress...

Work in progress by Sandra Iafrate.

"It's like watching paint dry".

I'm continuing with orchids,

this time on black, loving the dark background. In order to create a clean contemporary look I laid a flat dark mix of acrylic paint as a background while bold brush strokes in light oil paint colours will be saved for the flowers.

A similar painting process is being used for lilies and poppies, making it a series for Spring and Summer exhibits. Firstly, I drew the composition, then painted the background in acrylic before working on the flowers. I kept the paintings monochromatic to make it more contemporary. This is quite a change from previous floral work which is much more busy and chromatic. This was my attempt to create a quiet yet dramatic effect.

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2016-01-25 18.22.10

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Above: Orchids, poppies and lilies drawn on canvas, work in progress by Sandra Iafrate.

These photos above show the drawing stage and background painting. The poppies were outlined in thinned acrylic paint before applying the background. The white orchids and lilies were drawn in with vine charcoal.

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Above: Lilies on Black detail, work in progress by Sandra Iafrate.

I tried to keep the palette very neutral mixing subtle calming whites for the lilies. The shapes and the manner in which the flowers fall make a nice composition across the canvas.

*Update: The final images can be viewed on my Paintings page on my website, you might notice that I have made a few adjustments. Also, the paintings are currently on exhibit in Washington, D.C. and Toronto. You can visit my exhibit page for details.

*Update update: My Lilies on Black painting was just selected as a finalist for International Artist Magazine June issue, Floral and Garden Competition! Thank you IA, I am so honored!