ouph

I have origins from Volos, a city in central Greece, built at the foot of the Centaurs’ mountain, overlooking a gulf. Combining the allure of the sea with the mystical charm of its mythical history, Volos gave shelter to my childhood memories.

Summer holidays by the sea had always set the perfect scenery to feel nature. Until now, those days work as the pool from which I draw inspiration.

Perfectly fitted to my natural surroundings, my vocational orientation had been mostly clear. Physics teacher. For some years I worked in primary and secondary schools, where interacting with children gave space to my imagination, while their constructive feedback triggered my creativity.

Before I choose teaching as a vocation, I used to work in kids summer camps, where I had the opportunity to apply experiential learning techniques combining role playing games and theatrical play with Physics.

The period I explored puppet making and scenography next to designers and performance artists at “Mairivi’s Workshop”, one of Greece’s most important representative of puppetry art, gave me the proper background in order to get the most out of children.

The fact that I deal with different activities urges me to insist in applying my experience as a teacher to my craftwork. The result, everything under the logo “Ouph”, lets out childishness and insistence in color, sets up the scenery and awaits the observer to feel it.

“Ouph” in Greek is an exclamation used to express boredom and tedium. Mostly common between children, after is being said is followed by fabrications or made up situations that work as their escape. My escape is my art.

Thanks to my memory inventory, working with clay came up instinctively. I consider challenging the earth related nature of the material; from the roughness of the ground to the warmth of palms, clay targets heart and mind. The once upon a time dominant material of Prehistoric life becomes a contemporary medium of embellishment.

So, I invite you to wear the feeling my craftwork convey. To understand continuity from childhood to adulthood through the earthy touch of ceramics. To revive forgotten memories and live happily the moment.

Welcome!