About Sasha Yakovleva

Exploring Realism and Beyond

Sasha Yakovleva is a Toronto-based contemporary realist artist whose work explores identity, memory, and resilience. Working across oil, acrylic, charcoal, beads, fabric, embroidery, and found objects, she often incorporates photography as a personal archive. By blending realism with cultural craft traditions, Sasha layers materials and imagery to intertwine personal and familial histories, transforming intimate narratives into shared experiences that bridge memory with broader cultural narratives.

Currently in her fourth year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting program at OCAD University, Sasha integrates traditional techniques with contemporary approaches, using both painting and mixed media to push the boundaries of realism.

Her work has been featured in exhibitions including Face Off, Springboard, and The Way We Draw at the Ada Slaight Gallery, Toronto, ON, as well as Faces and Traces: A Cross-Border Portrait Project at Stackt North Hall Gallery, Toronto, ON. With a practice rooted in both technical skill and cultural storytelling, Sasha is recognized as a rising talent in the Canadian art scene.

Artist Statement

My work investigates fractured identity, memory, and resilience through paintings and charcoal drawings rooted in personal and familial histories. I work with oil, acrylic, charcoal, beads, fabric, embroidery, fur textures, found objects, and photographs, combining realism with cultural craft traditions. Through layered materials and imagery, I intertwine personal and collective histories, reflecting both tension and continuity. These processes transform intimate stories into shared experiences, bridging memory with broader cultural narratives and highlighting how personal archives, such as photography, become vital tools in reimagining identity.

Learn More...

Want to learn more about Sasha’s journey or inquire about her work? Visit the Portfolio or Contact pages to explore and connect.