Aegean Designs Community Project

Hi Everyone…yes I know it has been a while…but things have been moving along.

Aegean Designs now has an Etsy shop….a healthy Fan page on Face Book, and I have been busy doing a show in Louisianna….preparing orders for my new outlet in Lafayette and designing for a very special, still secret, outlet in Connecticutt.

With all this going on and the turmoil here in Greece, I have also been thinking what is the best way forward..and up for Aegean Designs. How can I help our little Island community on Santorini. Those of you who have been to my studio know that we believe in locally made products and local artisans, hand made products ……..

and as our sign out the front of the studio proudly states……nothing mass produced.  If we can source 100 percent of the product in Greece we do. And I know how much you appreciate this philosophy.

So with that in mind…..here is my way of helping this small but uniquely beautiful part of the world.  I want to do something to help the community.  I am going to expand my studio into a production house, and with orders and opportunities coming from overseas, I can no longer do it all alone.

This means bigger premises and employing locals.  Industry and jobs…not burning and looting. I have started a campaign which runs for 39 days on building this Community project. What I need from you is to go to the link below, and please share the message, donate a little if you can, every cent is met with gratitude.  I know this won’t change the world but it will make a small difference…maybe a big difference. Everyone loves Santorini, millions have visited, but maybe it is also time to give back when it is so badly needed. Well ….here is a small opportunity to help.  Please look at the link, the video, read the story….any feed back is welcome….any help accepted with total gratitude. There are some wonderful perks and prizes too…….many thanksin advance..A..;)

http://www.indiegogo.com/Aegean-Designs-Santorini?a=389237

A Golden Summer

September brings in the incredible golden light that illuminates everything from early evening…….it is an incredible time to be here on Santorini, especially in Oia.

Everything is bathed in gold and it can be quite simply…breathtaking…the photos will hopefully speak for themselves…

Natures tribute to the end of summer and the dawn of Autumn…

our secret spot……

accross the road from my studio in Firosefani……

lovers at Ammoudi…

a shop passing from Finikia……

Santorini Summer Art Classes at the studio in Firostefani…

 

                                             Dear friends, I  am sorry that I have been too busy to post recently but thought you may all like to see the progress we are making at the studio. Yes I am back doing training classes, but this time with a difference…outside class room..no stuffy boardroom,  and rather than a black marker and white board I have paintbrush in one hand and a glass of wine in the other….. and we are enjoying the hot summer evenings.  The only similarity to my past training career is that the people are still wonderful….loving it!!

                                          I will post soon on the hot, hot Santorini  summer ……when I catch my breath…;)

Blue…A Color Study on Santorini.

There  is such an abundance of color on this stunning Island, every where you look there are all consuming wonderful colors…and within every color there seems to be a thousand shades. Blue is omnipresent on Santorini and I wanted to share not only the beauty of the color, but how it inspires me.

This is the grey blue and aqua of the calm winter Aegean.

 

Dark blue…. almost electric blues of approaching storms.

The beautiful blues of exquisite Greek interior design.

 

The deep blues with hues of green of summer water.

 

The loulaki…blue with a hint of iridescent lilac.

And  bright cobalt blue is used in so many different ways, no limits!

Some color pallets…

And some tiny sphere’s of inspiration..my hand made beads.

 

The season is starting so I am painting like crazy as we also have a new gallery space at the studio to fill…..I will try or a post each week!  Next week some photos of the studio looking her best  for Summer!!

A wonderul weekend ahead to everyone, Axx.

Santorini’s beautiful Japanese Brides….

Santorini  is a lovers, dreamers, artist’s, poets (and more), destination and has been for centuries. It is a place that opens your mind and soul, it make people change, fall in love…and it is for many ..the ultimate wedding destination.

Every season we have a wave of weddings,  none more strange,  beautiful, simple and elegant than that of the young Japanese couples that come, sometimes in groups …to take photos in the best white washed scene that they can find to   celebrate  and to later reminisce about on their  perfect day.

We have celebrity, society and very expensive weddings here, but none capture the heart quite like these do.

On my way home from the studio I captured this group….

 

This was the line waiting for the bus…yes this is  peak season last summer…..and coming around the bend

 

was this couple..followed by

 

another six couples…all in thier wedding outfits, cameras in tow and flowers in hand….they sat outside the main grocery store….

 

and preened and laughed and the men gave their ladies thier jackets..

 

in amongst the souveniers  they were  oblivious to the huge crowd around them.

 

you could just feel their  immense joy…

 

another day, but yes….outside the studio was another young couple…it just makes you feel really good!

 

And still thinking of Japan….our thoughts are with you. The media may be less interested..the rest of the world does care. Have a wonderful week my friends….

Santorini Spring.

It is that wonderful time of year again when everything seems new and fresh. Santorini is renowned for it’s incredible physical beauty…what it is not so well known for is the beautiful spring wild flowers. It stunned me the first full Springtime that we were here, the aroma of a hundred different flowers and herbs, it is intoxicating.  Although only a small amount are flowering now, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to share the start of the coming flower fashion parade!

 

It is also very inspiring so I am showing off my new Spring design for this season…

Happy Daisys..

The island literally is covered by daisies followed by;

 

the fragile Rock Rose’s

my personal favorite..the poppy;

and my other personal favorite…well I have many…the bluebonnet..fields of gold turn to….

fields of blue all around Oia…

my new Spring design for this season…

 

I hope you all like it…this is a very large tablecloth, I also do this in napkins and a beautiful table runner.

I know the flower bug will keep biting me at least another 2 months, so I will post more flowers as they bloom, we get tiny beautiful orchids and the ancient ocean lily…..the aroma is wonderful!

 

And please let us not forget Japan..

Doors in Green

All week we have been renovating one of my work rooms at the studio to makeway for a wonderful white gallery space.

We will be finished by this weekend, as we open for tourist season 2011 next week.

It is very exciting to have a space solely for a gallery.

We will be having exhibitions of local and International artists work through out the year. The first will be in May, but more on that soon..!

Green doors are not easy to find on Santorini, I hope you enjoy these…..

 

These doors are in Megalahori…

 

 

All within a few meters of each other!

And one of my Green Doors.

 

A preview of  the new gallery space soon…see you then..A

Red doors in Oia.

More doors to paint, and this week the color of choice is red. Every color here takes on a vibrancy of it’s own. It is the incredible light, a photographer’s and a painter’s paradise!

 

I love the shape of these double doors,

More of a burnt umbre but still  beautiful very old doors,

 

Green lock on red doors,

 

Fading old reds,

 

The older the better,

 

Red door through the red door,

 

and my latest red door.

 

I think green next.

Inspired by the Blue.

 

It has been another beautiful week, weather wise in Oia, only one day with a touch of rain,

and then just more of that endless blue that Santorini is so famous for.

Back at the studio this week I was inspired by all the hazy blue and my love of the old doors.

I started two new series of acrylic paintings and one new linen design for table cloths, cushions covers, napkins etc.

Here is my new Spring theme, inspired by our stunning spring flowers,

 

 

 

and yes…. some  of the flowers are even blue, well almost!

 

Finding  inspiration to paint doors is easy, they are hundreds of stunning doors here,

behind some

there is an equally stunning view,

 

 

keeping it minimalistic,

 

 

there are endless possibilities,

 

 

There is also inspiration in the haze, that magic time  in summer, when everything melts together.

 

 

Incredible combinations  for watercolors,

 

 

and acrylics.

 

 

I would just like to thank my new face book friends who are also providing endless supplies of stunning photographs and links which I hope to start sharing with you all.  Have a happy week!

Blue Oia

I have been away for a while and ignored my new  blog, but I am back and ready for the year!

Our Island home is full of artistic inspiration, especially the color. I want to share some of this with you all.

There is so much color in Oia, on Santorini in general, not just the white sugar coated houses that it is so famous for. People often comment on how much color there is in my work and at the studio so, here is a touch of our blue. Next week will be a different color, and each week after another color until I run out……very hard, the inspiration is everywhere!

From simple blue gates,

to the endless blue Aegean,

blue doors,

closed shop doors,

which way up steps,

shop signs,

and more of that endless blue!

 

More from the studio this week as I am back and working as the new season looms near!