Greece
George Tsakiris, Textures, pastel, 14 x 20
FOR GREEK artist George Tsakiris, it’s the intriguing visual qualities of a scene, rather than the subject matter itself, that he seeks to emphasize in his paintings. Take his winning entry, TEXTURES. Tsakiris envisioned a “warm, earthy color scheme with interesting shapes and con-trasting textures” for this old-world scene. To bring his vision to life, he selected an array of natural and manmade objects with both smooth and textured surfaces and arranged them on a wood tabletop. Among his set-up is a yellow-tinted glass vase, rough-shelled walnuts, and a bulbuous, hand-painted urn with ornate details. Adds Tsakiris, who captured the scene in pastels, “I opted for single-source, dramatic lighting to emphasize the texture concept.”
Inspired by artists ranging from Caravaggio to 19th-century Greek painter Nikolaos Gyzis to contemporary American artist Richard Schmid, Tsakiris is entirely self-taught, though he’s been painting since he was a child. He lives in his native Athens, where he operates a small gym full time. “I work all day long, from morning to 11 p.m.,” he says. “Sunday is the only day off I have.” Thanks to the convenience of pastels, he can create small works like TEXTURES in his office during the workday, but on Sundays, he prefers to paint in oils, and he also enjoys working in different genres.
“Just five years ago, I started painting on a weekly basis and participating in group exhibitions,” says Tsakiris, who won third place in the Pastel Guild of Europe’s first annual competition last year. “My purpose is to transmit, through painting, positive vibes and emotions to the souls of viewers as an antidote to the ugliness that often overwhelms us in everyday life.” Find the artist’s work at www.facebook.com/georgetsakirisart. —Kim Agricola
This story was featured in the December 2019/January 2020 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2019/January 2020 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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