A day in the country

Acrylics, 30x40cm canvas on paperboard. (Not sure of availability)

I really like this one. It was a lesson of simplicity. I have to revisit someday this style of drawing. I'm afraid that I can't stand to make "studies". When I paint an apple once, I will not paint it again and again and again... The wanted is to discover myself into this beautiful, not full of apples world!

The last drink

35x50cm canvas, acrylics. Not available.
Still oldies... 

Mediterranean touch

40x50 canvas, acrylics. Not available.

This one made from a photo as most of my work. I love the view of houses against the beauty of nature. Sometimes I paint a beautiful landscape without human interruption. I like it. When I paint some houses or other human constructions, I like it more. I love it! I believe that the earth is better with us, living on it. But we have to respect this beautiful planet. It is the god, the mother and the father. It can forgive our selfishness, but not for ever.

Fishing boats in twilight.

Still oldies... 30x20cm, acrylics on framed paper. Not available.

The Rock

Acrylics on canvas on paperboard 30x40cm. 1999. I do not remember more details or availability.

Marathokampos

Marathokampos is a beautiful county of southern Samos. The main town includes buildings over 150 years old. The smaller town by the sea called "Ormos" (Bay) goes for port. 25-30 years have passed. A spring rainstorm was on the way. I took a photo which I painted 15 years after. I still smell the wet ground.

40x50cm on framed cotton, acrylics. Not available.

Limani, late afternoon

The same place as before, in front of the bond. The natural light slowly surrenders to artificial. Into these magical moments in the right place, someone can work miracles. It's the right time to forgive, or been forgiven. To love and to be loved. To give a promise or to get one, which will be kept. Into this magical moment thousand people enjoy the view of the sunset, while are snuggling another beloved person. If there is a possibility to see sometime the God, this would be the right time.

30x40cm canvas board. Manually colors (acrylic medium with mineral powders). 2001. Not available.

Limani

25x30cm - acrylics on canvas. Not available.

This is "Limani" (Port) of Karlovassi. The distant white houses on the hill are part of "Paleo" (Old) Karlovassi. I walk almost everyday across this place. I smell the salted sea, I feel the gentle movement of the sleepy waves, the grey anger of the winter... Every time I leave the island, I enjoy it. New places make me free and happy. But when I return, I feel that invisible chains keep me prisoner forever in this blessed place. This is simply my home. I'm sure that you know what I mean!

Yannis Ritsos

The great greek poet was exiled on our beloved island. He had a huge free soul full of compassion for the humble and poor people. Yannis Ritsos loved his new home. He became very soon a part from it, writing there his best poems until the end of his life. He loved purely and deeply this land with tenderly feelings. His sweet light in our path, will lighting our life for ever...

This is one of my new small almost daily paintings. Acrylics on canvas 24x30 cm.

Agia Pelagia 2 and Yannis Ritsos

This is the same place as previous post, about the same time. This was inspired of a colored sketch made by the famous Greek poet Yannis Ritsos. The original found on the front page of the last issue of "Methorios", which is a very special magazine about our (still beautiful)  island Samos. I didn't know that Yannis Ritsos was also a painter. His huge talent in poetry was overshadowing his other virtues (for me). 

This painting is about 50x40cm framed canvas, made with mixed media. Not available (my parents own it now).

Agia Pelagia 1

About 1km distance from previous post's place, is the old (abandoned now) Agia Pelagia monastery. This painting was made from a small black & white photo which I found in a nearby restaurant. This painting is still there, into the shop, which now became the head office of local association of women "Okiroi". Painted on a wooden surface about 120x80cm with vinyl, four only colors (blue, red, yellow & white). Not available.

Palaio Karlovassi

This is a beautiful place of the island Samos, where I live. There was established the first city of Karlovassi, ("Palaio" = Old) on a hill close to the harbor. On the top you see the church of Holy Trinity (Agia Triada). 30x40 cm canvas on a board. Acrylics. Not available.

These are still older paintings. I paint every day new small paintings. Soon I will post them here. Thank you for interesting!

Secrets for three

This is an older painting on canvas board about 40x50cm made with vinyl colors (Not available). Classical style with many very thin layers of colors and blending with fingers for almost every stroke. I remember that I was very proud for this painting, because it was like a photo. A cheap brainless camera could do the same, in just a moment. Anyway, this is a necessary stage for every aspiring painter. I confess that I love this stage until now.

Red Dress

15 years ago, 30x40cm canvas on wooden frame, made with acrylics. Not available. It was the first painting I sold at the first day of an exhibition that summer. It was bought by a pretty lady from northern Europe. The impressive thing I remember from this painting was the excellent red of the dress, made by very thin layers of various pure colors, against the many little dry strokes of  the rest parts. While I was working on it, I got surprised from the divine beauty of this red. That feeling provoked the immediate end of working on the unfinished painting!

Some other times I work for hours and always make circles, like into a bad dream with hundreds of confusing streets which turn you every time back, in the same start point. I can't handle this situation. While painting for me is a game, such times I feel that I become the loser. I cover the wasted hours with white and I go on. Before some years I was getting upset for many days, or even weeks. I was losing the appetite for working. Now is different. I accept it. I continue with more strength, without fear for losing, because among  other things, I have learned this:

Losing a fight is a valuable teacher. When I am afraid, I go back, I repeat some well known recipes and I become a sleepy winner! On the other hand, when I don't be afraid for a new step to unknown, if I win I will learn something new. All I learn when I'm not just a chicken, make me a better person. I get a little higher self respect. One more stair up, closer to heaven, every time I win my misery side. It's a fair prize! I know, I am not the best and possibly I will never be. But always I have the chance to be a little better.
Do you feel like me sometimes? I'm sure that you are an Eagle! Not chicken.

Girl with a red ribbon

A painting from the old times, on a big 100x60 cm canvas. Acrylics. Not available.

New mural today.

Before 15 years ago, in the year 1995, I made the following mural in my bedroom. Eleven hearts are escaping from their jail (not the right orange heart and the bee). I found this picture on a postcard and I liked it because it was representing Freedom.

Today I completed this mural. The hearts now are trying to reach the sun! This is what I did today:

A smiling sun, colorful flowers, a hive with some flying around bees, butterflies and two more hearts, one transforming to butterfly. A lot of happy things to decorate my bedroom. It seems like a childish room. My wife loves it, so I don't have any problem! My wife Niki doesn't grow up. I met her when she was 17. Today, after 26 years, she is still 17. I suspect that she's stealing sneaky years from me, because I am growing older two times faster than normal. OK. No more jokes. Here is the sun:

Not man or woman. Just a happy sun. Niki says that "he" is sexy. She will never grow up. Just like this young for ever sun.

The older part of  mural is 200x140 cm. The recent part is 350x250 cm. For both parts I used  plenty of vinyl white. All the rest colors are acrylics.
I edited this post after one week, because I improved the sun's face and softened some hard tones. Also the mural was covered with thin acrylic varnish.