Mara Sfara
Mara Sfara, is a contemporary sculptor, representational painter and kinetic artist. Her kinetic sculptures blend traditional art work with new media. Sfara’s whimsical Greek mythological bronze sculptures convey a range of moods, humor, and attitudes with which her audience can readily identify. Her positive nature is reflected in her art, in her use of beautiful colors, objects and places. Her paintings typically depict idyllic, serene landscapes. In any media, Mara draws in viewers, evokes emotion and tells a story – one that is optimistic and uplifting. She studied English, Film Criticism and Fine Arts at the undergraduate level and obtained her Master’s in Art from New York University.
Mara’s paintings and sculptures are regularly exhibited in museums and galleries across the nation and worldwide. Her artwork has been displayed at shows in New York City, Houston, Los Angeles, Connecticut, London, Buenos Aries and Spain and is included in the permanent collections of the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City New York and the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut. Her sculptures and paintings were featured at the opening of a new wing at the historic Westbrook Manor at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Great River, NY.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
• Town and County Club, Hartford, CT, “Beauty in Your Time,” July 2013
• The Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park, Manor House, Great River, NY, “Modern Mythology,” June – July 2013
• Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT, “Magic and Mythology,” June – September 2012
• QCC Art Gallery, CUNY, Bayside, NY, “Expressions,” March – April 2012
• Galleria Santos, Leon, Spain, April – May 2010
• BNY Mellon, Westport, CT, Private Client Exhibition, October – November, 2008
• Museo Metropolitano, Buenos Aries, Argentina, “Paintings,” Mara Appel (Sfara), November 2008
• The Atrium Art Space, Melville, NY, Mara Appel (Sfara), April 2008
• The Town of North Hempstead, The Town Clerk’s office, North Hempstead, NY, Mara Appel (Sfara), January 2008
• The Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, NY, Tribute to Tuskegee Airmen, Portrait
included in permanent collection, Mara Appel (Sfara), Summer 2007
• QCC Art Gallery, CUNY, Bayside, NY, “Landscape,” Mara Appel (Sfara), June – July 2007
• QCC Art Gallery, CUNY, Bayside, NY, “Drawings,” Mara Appel (Sfara), Dec ‘06 – Jan 2007
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
• Federal Hall National Memorial Museum, US Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP), New York, NY Summer, 2012, 2013, 2014
• Wit Gallery, Lenox, MA, June 2012-2014
• Eckert Fine Art, Millerton, NY, Gallery Artist, 2012-2014
• Winvian Morris, CT 2012-2014
• Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, US Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP), June – July 2012, 2013, 2014
• The Bristol Art Museum, Bristol, RI, “Celebration of 50 Years!” May – July 2014
• The Brick Lane Gallery, London, England, April 2014
• Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, Annual Members’ Exhibition, March – April 2012, 2013, 2014
• Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, Black and White Exhibition, January – February 2014, Certificate of Merit Award
• The National Arts Club, New York, NY, The 22 Annual Roundtable Show, June 2013
• The Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, “The Noble Nocturne,” January 2013
• Eckert Fine Art, Millerton, NY, Women in Contemporary Art, July 2012
• The National Arts Club, New York, NY, The 21st Annual Roundtable Show, “Twenty-One and Terrific,” June 2012
• P.S. Gallery, Litchfield, CT, Gallery Artist, 2011
• The White Gallery, Great Barrington, MA and Lakeville, CT, Gallery Artist, 2011
• UCONN Health Center, Celeste Lewitt Gallery, Farmington, CT, “Cloud Over St. Maarten,” Two person show, December 2011 – March 2012
• Latino Art Museum, Pomona, CA, Mara Appel (Sfara), August 2009
• Institute of Hispanic Culture, Houston, TX, “Symphony of Colors,” Mara Appel (Sfara), May – June 2009
• JBS Financial, New York, NY, Two Person Show, March 2008
• Gallery 101 Main, Collinsville, CT, Gallery Artist, 2009-2014
• Mill House Antiques and Garden, Woodbury, CT, Gallery Artist, 2009-2012
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
• Castello Bentivoglia, Bologna, Italy
• The Celeste Lewitt Gallery at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
• CPTV- Connecticut’s Cultural Treasures: Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT
• The Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, NY
• Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, West Hartford, CT
• QCC Art Gallery (Museum), Bayside, NY
• Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT
• United States Coast Guard Art Collection New York, NY
MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
• American Society of Impressionist Painters, Vero Beach, FL
• Artists’ Fellowship, Inc., New York, NY
• The Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP)
• Mattatuck Museum Development Committee, Waterbury, CT
• National Arts Club, New York, NY
• New England Sculptors Association (NESA), CT
• Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
• Society of Connecticut Sculptures, CT
• Wethersfield Academy for the Arts, Wethersfield, CT
LECTURER AND JUROR
• Wit Gallery, Lenox, MA, June 2014
• Naugatuck Historical Society, 6th Celebration of Art, Juror, June 2014
• Litchfield & Wamogo High Schools, Litchfield, CT, Artist of the Year-guest speaker, March, 2013
• Mattatuck Museum of Art, Waterbury, CT, 2012
HONORS AND AWARDS
• The Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, NY, Tribute to Tuskegee Airmen,
Portrait unveiled and in permanent collection, Mara Appel (Sfara), Summer 2007
• Salmagundi Club Certificate of Merit, “Black and White Exhibition” January- February 2014
PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE PRESS
• Unofficial Blog of the QCC: Mara Sfaras’s Expressions, February 28, 2014
• Farmington Valley Times: Farmington Artist Mara Sfara’s Work on Display at Winvian Resort in Morris, January 28, 2014
• Viva Glam Magazine: Mara Sfara’s Modern Greek Mythological Epic Fantasy World, November 20, 2013
• State of Makers: Mara Fine Arts, LLC, November 19, 2013
• LongIsland.com: Mara Sfara Brings Modern Mythology to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum, June 20, 2013
• The Art Career Project: Sculptor Mara Sfara
• CNN iReport: Mara Sfara: Artful Whimsy, November 13, 2012
• The Examiner: An Artist and Her Hand-crafted Gods, August 9, 2012
• American Towns – Waterbury, CT: Exhibition – Mara Sfara: Mythology And Magic, August 2012
• The Courant: ‘In The Shadow of St. Anne’s’ at Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, July 19, 2012
• Lifestyle News and Articles: Artist Mara Sfara Displays Whimsical Bronze Sculptures in New York Show, March 21, 2012
• Gather: Mara Sfara’s ‘Expressions’ Exhibit Echoes Mythology, March 20, 2012
• The Examiner: The Whimsical World of Sculptor and Painter Mara Sfara, February 20, 2012
• Pandorama: Four Artists Exhibit at the Museo Metropolitano, November 7, 2008
EDUCATION
• Studies with Burton Silverman, 1996 until present
• New York University, New York, NY, 1988 MA
• Columbia University, New York, NY, 1991 BSN
• University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 1986-1987
• University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 1984 BA
Mara Sfara
(860) 593.3035
33 Mountain Lane
Farmington, CT 06032
Marasfara@comcast.net
www.marafinearts.com