Artist statement
In my paintings, I render in colour the stories of the physical and emotional landscapes that formed my experience of being born in Greece and then growing up in England and Cyprus and now living and working in Wales.
The actual process of my painting relates to this theme, as I use mixed media, building up and scraping back areas of paint to capture the atmosphere, mass, and light of the landscapes I am aiming to depict . In the series ‘The Gloaming,’ I explore ways of bringing these landscapes together and play with the similarities and contrasts: How being caught between two time perspectives – the Eastern Mediterranean is two hours ahead of England – two different kinds of light, two different cultures, results in both a feeling of richness and diversity of experience as well as a search for rootedness in the moment and in space.
Dusk and the changes in light between sunset and darkness capture this feeling of ‘homelessness’ and search for ‘home.’ On the other hand, in the plays of light, in exploring ways of translating experiences and representing them in paint on the canvas, there is a liberating beauty too. In the 'Ithaca’ series, inspired by the Greek Poet Konstantinos Kavafis’ poem ‘Ithaca,’ I follow the theme further, exploring different possibilities of rootedness/rootlessness and the riches of the search for home.
My later series, 'Time and Tide’ takes the theme further to a broader exploration of the temporal aspect of human experience and its relationship with nature, and the recent addition of gold leaf and metal in my work is inspired by time spent in Venice, visiting the Biennale, and Byzantine Iconography.
Having recently moved to Wales, with its beautiful and vast landscapes, and living within earshot of a running stream, I continue to render in my work my surrounding environment, along with aspects of personal history, experience, and imagination, poetry and myth. New directions involve collaborations with artists across the artistic spectrum, initiating new ways of thinking about and creating art.
You are more than welcome to visit my studio to see where I work, please contact me to arrange a time.
Based in Glynneath near the famous waterfall country, why not follow up a studio visit with a lovely walk to the stunning waterfalls.
Tel: 01639720158
King Street galley Carmarthen
King Street galley Carmarthen
Orial Q, Narberth
Orial Q, Narberth
Maidstone Museum
Mererid Hopwood exhibition at the King Street Gallery Carmarthen
2 - 6
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Exhibitions.
2018
1-10 September Mark Goldsworthy Gallery, Suffolk
25 August-9 September Llangathen Temperance Hall, Wales
26-29 July The Other Art Fair, Bristol
3 May-3 June Flourish, Cardiff MADE, Cardfif
5-12 April A Moveable Feast, Taith Contemporary Arts, Orange Moon, Vienna
2017
Winter Wall, Cardiff MADE, Cardiff, Wales
Hearth and Home, Llangathen Temperance Hall, Llangathen, Wales
26 Oct-15 Nov Ekphrasis, Between Image and Word, Solo Exhibition, King Street Gallery, Carmarthen, Wales
Winter Open, King Street, Carmathan, Wales
Botanics, Art at The Hall, Llangathan, Wales
Art at Waunifor, Maesycrugiau, Wales
Freedom, Free Painters and Sculptors, The Oxo Tower Gallery, London
May-July Goat Street Gallery, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Summer Open, Ardent Gallery, Brecon, Wales
Summer Open, Oriel Cric, Crickhowell, Wales
Work now showing at Gallery 54, Ross on Wye
Work now showing at West Wales Art Centre, Fishguard, Wales
Winter Exhibition, King Street Gallery, Carmarthen, Wales
2016
Nes Draw, Closer to Further Away, King Street Gallery, Carmarthen, Wales
Winter Open, Oriel Q, Narbeth, Wales
Small Objects of Desire, King Stret Gallery, Carmarthen, Wales
Winter Exhibition, King Street Gallery, Carmarthen, Wales
Beneath the Cliffs, Boundless Seas has been longlisted for the Royal West of England Academy Open Exhbition
Stiwdio Maelor Residency, Corris, Wales
Of Ancient Mountain has been selected for exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth
2015
Dowry has been shortlisted for the East Meets West Art Award.
108 Days in May, St Mary's Church, Faversham
FPS members exhibition, Menier Gallery, London
Ithaca lll, Dowry and Golden Light Aegean Sea have been shortlisted for the British Women Artists Competition
FPS Unfixed, Espacio Gallery, London
I was elected a member of the Free Painters and Sculptors http://www.freepaintersandsculptors...
Bentlif Open Art Prize, Maidstone Museum
The Underwater Dream has been shortlisted for the Bentlif Open Art Prize
I have been offered a residency at stiwdiomaelor in North Wales. I will be there next August 2015
2014
FPS open exhibition The Menier Gallery, Southwark, London
An Elaborate Dream had been selected for publication in Art has No Borders iArtBook 101 Abstract and Non-Figurative Artworks
EWAAC 2014 La Galleria, Pall Mall, London
The Underwater Dream: Selected Finalist for the East West Art Award Competition. To be included in the exhibition at La Galleria, Pall Mall, London
The Gloaming Creek Creative, Faversham
Time and Tide The Somerset Maughan Gallery, Whistable
2013 The Fish Slab Gallery, Whistable
2012
Ithaca lll was longlisted for the Threadneedle Prize
Journey The Somerset Maughan Gallery, Whitstable
Nucleus Arts, Rochester
Parallax Art Fair, Chelsea Town Hall, London
2011
Parallax Art Fair, La Galleria, Pall Mall, London
The Deaf Cat, Rochester
2005 The Invited Cinema, Brixton, London
2004 Hotel Zur Post, Ammersee, Bavaria
2002 University of Hertsfordshire end of year exhibition
1999 Central School of Speech and Drama end of year exhibition
Paintings held in Private Collections in the Uk, Ireland, Vienna and Germany
Bibliography
Ekphrasis: Between Image and Word 2017
http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/p...
Painting 'Port Isaac Golden Light' for the cover of the book of short stories 'The Heart and its Reasons', Pierides, S (Fruit Dove Press, 2014)
Painting and cover design for the award winning poetry book In the Garden of Absence, Pierides, S. (Fruit Dove Press, 2012).
Haiku Society of America Mildred Kanterman Memorial Merit Book Awards 2013 (3rd place, for books published in 2012) (http://www.hsa-haiku.org/meritbookawards/merit-book_archive.htm)
'Joy' Bending Light Magazine issue 3 2006
'Yellow' British Journal of Photography 2006