I was born and raised in a small mountain village. Traveling, migration, and living as a nomadic artist have been my way of life. The narratives I evoke in my studio practice are efforts to make cultural and experiential fragments intelligible to myself and relevant to my current reality. This has become a ritualized, interdisciplinary process of healing and a rich source of symbolism and meaning-making. Unlike objects, my practice does not need to be transported, allowing me to experience a sense of freedom and promoting integration.

WORK

drawings

paintings

installations

murals

ABOUT

EDUCATION

MFA IAMD, OCAD University, Toronto Canada, Sept.2013-May2015

Thesis: Travelling Talismans (Thesis & Artistic project: Installation of wooden sculptures (stools), drawings and mixed media collage-paintings).

MA in Visual Arts, UEL, London UK, Sept. 2001-Sept.2002

Final Project: Circus (100 square meters’ installation using various materials as wood, fabric, metal and ropes in “discussion” with abstract paintings).

BA, Fine Arts School, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, GR, Sept.1990–Sept.1995

Final Project: Portraits & Landscapes depicting Byzantine Buildings

“Praxis”, Drawing Tutorial School Thessaloniki, GR, Sept.1988–Sept.1989

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE

Professional Landscape Painter (Freelance), 1995-present

(Oil and water colours landscape painting combining it with travelling in various places and countries as Canada, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Germany, France, England and Scotland)

Interior Designer & Decorator. Designing interior spaces (coffee shops, restaurants, bars,houses),1992-present

Teaching Assistant at OCAD University, Canada,2013-14/2014-15

Instructor of drawing for adults, Athens, Greece, 2004

Art-Instructor in Primary School, Crete, Greece, 2003

Set-Design Assistant, Athens, Greece, 1999 (Assisting the set designing of the musical/theatrical production by Stamatis Kraounakis All Black and a Piano and also worked in other various theatres)

Set & Costume Design Assistant, Thessaloniki, Greece 1997 (Senior assistants to designer Angelina Atlagic at the Cultural Capital of Europe event.&Provide assistance in the production of Video clip of musician Goran Bregovic’s work and final musical performance)

Assistant in the Ileana Tunta Gallery, Athens, Greece, 1998-1999

Assistant to the sculptor Thodoros, Athens, Greece 1998-1999

Assistant to the visual FriniMouzakitou Athens, Greece, 1998-1999,

Assistant to Sculptor George Tsaras, Thessaloniki, Greece, 1993-1994

Instructor in Art Workshops- Summer “Yuppi Camp,” Chalcidice, Greece, 1991-1993

Cartoonist- “The Black Bread”, for the Faculty of Pedagogy of Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, 1992

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Canada: Artscape, Toronto Island, Sept. 2009, Oct. 2010, Feb-Apr, Nov.2011,

Egypt: Alexandria, Guest of the Hellenic Cultural Foundation, June 2007,

Italy: A year in Florence, 2006-2007,

Scotland: Edinburgh, March-April 2006,

Spain and Portugal: Summer 2005,

Greece, Hydra Island, June 2003 & 2005, July 2012 & 2015

Greece, Mykonos Island, December 1993, June 2010,

Greece, Lesbos Island, September 2006

Greece, Rethymno, June 1995

UK, London, Frequent visits 2003 present,

LECTURE

2016, Lecture on Greek History of Art to York University students, part of their experiential education course on Modern Greek History, HIST 3387 in Athens Greece

2014, Lecture for 4 Greek Artists of the 20th centuries to the Association of Greeks from Thessaloniki in Toronto Canada

2012, Presentation on “Greek Painting in the Twentieth Century” to the Hellenic Canadian Academic Association of Ontario, and the role of artists in contemporary society        

MEMBERSHIPS

Graduate Association of the Fine Arts School, (G.A.F.A.S.), 1998-present

Greek Chamber of Arts, UNESCO accreditation for artists, 1996-present

Founding member of the Vile Roan International Art Group. London, UK 2001-2003

VOLUNTEER WORK

Member of the Cultural Association of Damaskinia, 2005-presentOrganizing cultural events, exhibitions, sport events and children’s theatre productions

Vice Chair of Graduates’ Association of the Fine Arts School of Athens, 1999-2005Responsible for organizing and co-curating more than 25 art shows        

Volunteer- “The Volunteer Group,” Thessaloniki, Greece, 1990-1991, Helping with children that have special needs,

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022    Nomadic, Bistrot Jutard, Lyon France

2022    Greek and French dialogues, Café de la Pref. Albi France

2022    Gazes of birds, café Associatif, Albi France.

2021     Orange & Green Stories, Historic Boarding School/Gymnasium of Tsotyli, ( Greece)

2018     Bridge: Vrysaki Cultural Centre ( Athens, Greece)

             ...Walking out of the woods: Old school( Damaskinia, Greece)

2017     Few more days...: Vrysaki Cultural Centre ( Athens, Greece)

2016     Honest Hints: Vrysaki Cultural Centre ( Athens, Greece)

             Ξέφωτο-Glade-Clairière: Vrysaki Cultural Centre ( Athens, Greece)

2015      Travelling Talismans....: At the OCAD Graduate Gallery( Toronto, Canada)

2014      Some light ..few years ago:  Red Eye Cafe , (Toronto, Canada)   

2013      The First Ghosts: Installation 3 at ‘’Sardine Man’’ old café( Damaskinia, Greece)

2012      The Bench: Outdoors Installation/Performance, (North west Greece)

                An Older Story: Installation 2 at ‘’Sardine Man’’ old café( Damaskinia, Greece)

                Crispy waters, In Koufonisi island (Aegean Sea, Greece)

2011        Sell Out: (KilaKozani, Greece)

                …Just Positive: Installation at “Sardine Man” old café (Damaskinia, Greece)

2010        Dentro ? - Emigration: Installation, “Sardine Man” old café (Damaskinia-Greece)

Paintings: Landscapes, Portraits and Abstract Work, The Folk Art Museum (Kozani, Greece)

                What a fish is leaving behind: Amfiktionos 33, Thisio (Athens, Greece)

                Cosmopolitan:  “Karoutas” Guest House Lodge, Tsotili (Kozani, Greece)

2009        Emigration: Discourses of Space: Municipal Gallery (Kozani, Greece)

2008        Painting: Landscapes, Guest House Lodge “Karoutas”, Tsotili, Kozani, Greece

Crossing the Bridge: Building Cultural Bridges, Amfiktionos 33, Thisio (Athens)       A Breath from the Desert - Mediterranean waves: Hellenic Cultural Centre        (Alexandria, Egypt)

                Remains of a Year: Studio Opening, Piazza San Marco 10 (Florence, Italy)

2007        Passages: Landscapes, Tsotili Town Hall (Tsotyli, Greece)

                Incoming: Opening the Door to New Ideas (Damaskinia, Greece)

                Greek Landscapes: “Randolph” Art Gallery (Edinburgh, Scotland)

2006        From the Forest: Amfiktionos 33, Thisio (Athens, Greece)

Dreams in the Plum Tree Village: From Destruction to Construction. Installation (Kozani, Greece)

                Greek images: “Etcetera” Art Gallery, (Florida, U.S.A)

2005        Ten Years After: Mini-Retrospective, Tsotili Town Hall (Kozani, Greece)

                Emigration: “Ios” Art Gallery, Athens, Greece

2004        Landscapes: “Image” Gallery (Athens, Greece)

                Lykabetous- The Hill: G.A.F.A.S Gallery (Athens, Greece)

                Flowers: Café Podilato  (Athens, Greece)

2002        Circus: Final Project-Masters in Fine Arts, University of East London (England)

2000        Flight Courses: The Courses of Life. G.A.F.A.S Gallery (Athens, Greece)

1999        Spring: Flowering Creativity. G.A.F.A.S Gallery (Athens, Greece)

1996       Urban Landscapes & Portraits (Avoiding Melancholy & Loneliness):                                              Graduation Project, Fine Art School of Aristotelian University (Thessaloniki, Greece)

GROUP EXHIBITION

2018       Biennale of Western Balkans , Tradition anew (Ioannina City , Epirus , Greece )

2017       Fragments of dialogue: Vrysaki Cultural Centre ( Athens, Greece)

2016       Greeks for Greece: Figure One Gallery (Champaign IL, USA)

2014        Done being wrong: Brockton Gallery (Toronto, Canada)        

2012        Ochre: Abstract Paintings, “The Raft in the City” Venue (Thessaloniki, Greece)

2011        Scotiabank Contact Greek Photo Week: Burrouges Gallery (Toronto, Canada)

                Anamnesis: Gallery 1313 (Toronto, Canada)

2009        New World: Toronto Island Gibraltar Point Art Scape (Canada)

                Scattered: Cultural room (Danaskinia, Greece)

2008        Flowers: Koila, Greece

2005        Pictures: Furious Portrait Art Gallery (Ioannina, Greece)

2004        Small is Smart: Art Tower Agora Art Gallery (Athens, Greece)

                Anthropocentric: G.A.F.A.S. Gallery (Athens, Greece)

               Group Show: Municipal Gallery of ScalasEresou, (Lesvos Island, Greece)

2003        Body/Torso/Trunk: Neoria Art Space (Chania, Greece)

Meeting point: presentation with NantiaKalara: G.A.F.A.S. Gallery (Athens, Greece)

                Body/Torso/Trunk: Melina Merkouri Gallery (Hydra, Greece)

                Three options: G.A.F.A.S. Gallery (Athens, Greece)

                Circus: Vile Roan art group: Fritz Gallery (Brixton, London, United Kingdom)

2002        August in the Cornfield: Canonbury Road Art Gallery (London, United Kingdom)

                Ropes and Clothes: Oscar bar (University of East London, United Kingdom)

                Stranded: Red-Yellow-Black: Strand Old Station (London, United Kingdom)

2001       15 Artists at Voio: “Old primary school” (Damaskinia, Greece)

                Drawing Exhibition: G.A.F.A.S. Gallery (Athens, Greece)

2000        Figures: Portraits, Schpierer Cultural Centre (Volos, Greece)

1998        Portraits-Landscapes: Benetatos Cultural Centre (Athens, Greece)

                Birds: “Mail” Art Gallery (Milano, Italy)

1997        Acrobat: Macedonian Palace (Thessaloniki, Greece)

1996        Portraits: Fine Arts School Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

1995        Exhibition of 7: University of Macedonia Art Gallery, Thessaloniki (Greece)

LANGUAGES

Greek (mother tongue), English (fluent), Spanish (basic), Italian (basic), Serbo-Croatian (basic).


Fuse

The moon of your childhood is gone and you cannot have it back. You can only translate new moons.

ilias toliadis t: +30 6978465012   e:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.