It all began when my family took me for a trip to The Hellenic Republic/ Greece.
My curiosity and intrigue developed when I sat on my father’s shoulders for the ultimate tour, as we all walked through the ruins of ancient Athens, Olympia, Ireon/ Heraion and everywhere else!
‘Tekton /Tecture’ – from the Hellenic/ Greek word ‘Techne’ – Skill – Artisan/ Craftsman – Craftsperson!
Architecture is ‘The Beginning of the Skill’!
So, Architecture or being an Architect is beyond ‘building’ as in ‘construction’ as in mud huts, bricks, timber, concrete etc.
We are The Architects of our Architecture…
We Plan, Design, Construct, Evolve… Travel – Reside – Travel
Structure – Life or as in a Building, or as in my Profession, a Painting!
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I enjoy Architecture so much, that in most of my Luxury Paintings, it is likely that there will be some form of Architecture incorporated into my artwork.
Sometimes, the Architecture is the whole process, not just the visual or visual outcome – product/ product of Creation…
Touring the most magnificent Architectural sites of early ‘civilisation’, was indeed visually confronting and an amazing experience to say the least!
Statues of people, lions, animals, Corinthian pillars, antiquities, part ancestry, part mystery and all a priceless education.
Flashes of Architecture, Art, Sculpture, Character Houses with Expressions.
Blue and white – ocean, sky, green shrubs, trees, rubble and golden sunshine beaming into my eyes, as I looked on at the shadowy silhouettes from my surroundings.
Yes, it was exciting and a wonderful memory!
I was introduced to ancient Hellenic culture; inventions; arts, architecture – The Parthenon at the Acropolis, science, mathematics – Pythagoras, philosophy, medicine, diversity, Hellenic mythology, history, cuisine, olive oil, goats, donkeys, horses, the aroma of Ouzo, travelling market garden sellers, three wheeler trucks and that the ocean in this part of the world, was not inhabited with sharks!
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Since that time, I have travelled to diverse destinations, mystical lands of various cultures and have discovered, learnt, worked, observed and enjoyed Architecture right up to present.
I see how the rest of the world has influenced Australia my country of birth and in particular South Australia; grand old houses that once belonged to British lords, Mediterranean naval villa’s, Stationmaster cottages, Dutch dwellings, Corinthian pillars, Meanders, Greek and Chinese key motifs, modern Iranian architecture, Spanish villas and so on…
As my Artwork of luxury paintings are expressively created – evolving; painting, designing, graphic digital images, photography and jewellery/ jewelry design all naturally include a significant influence of Architecture.
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‘Structure?’ Okay! Lets not complicate it! Simply, Yes of course! Look deeper and deeper into the abstract and expressionism!
Architecture has inspired my life, thoughts, feelings and creativity in every possible way.
For example: What is ? ₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
Is it a ‘Grecian Key’ or a ‘Greek Fret’ ?
Is it an Ancient Hellenic Design used in Architecture and Art?
Is it a Greek Motif used time and time again everywhere around and throughout the world and in important buildings of governance – notoriety – nobility or Art Deco era Architecture?
This Design is the ‘Meandros’ or commonly known in English as ‘Meander’
Meandros is named after the twisting and turning path of the Maeander River in Asia Minor/ Anatolia, Anatole – Hellenic Greek – part of my ancestry – now Turkey. The Meandros is featured prominently in Hellenic Architecture because it belongs to the Hellenic/ Greek Empire.
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You may notice that I incorporate this architectural design into my website. You may also notice that I sometimes incorporate this architectural design or architecture into my artwork -> Luxury Art Paintings, -> Luxury Necklaces and other Art Pieces – It Remains Forever Embedded Into My Creative Being – Here is an example;
My beautiful late Pappou/ Grandfather, was a Greek islander of Anatolian descent. His professions included; Saddler, Farmer, Market Gardener, Soldier and Army Cook, Soap Maker and Distributor during the great depression and a Butcher’s Apprentice. Pappou was a champion Backgammon player and above all a Kind Gentleman as remember by many and those who loved and knew him.
After my Grandparents married they helped raise and support my grandmothers’ three younger siblings and her young widowed mother who outlived my Grandfather. Later in life, my Great Grandmother informed me that my Grandfather was an angel.
Whilst in the army, a fellow Greek ship accidentally blew up my Grandfather and his platoon, mistaking them for the enemy. My Grandfather and a fellow soldier the only two survivors had to bag body parts.
Yiayia and Pappou – My Late Grandparents
My late Grandparents’ love for each other, was so strong that before the news broke out about the blast, my late Grandmother was on her knees, newly wedded and praying that her husband would be safe.
Amongst his pets Pappou had Tzak, the dog, many cats, horses, donkeys and goats.
Towards the end of the war, Pappou, learnt to converse in Italian with a small group of Italian soldiers, swapping goods for goods, so that he could carry out his soap making.
Immigrating to Australia my Grandparents became Australian. Proud to be Hellenes/ Greek, excited and anxious to commence their new life in Australia. They had a cat which was very playful, a lot of fun and always performing tricks. Pappou worked extremely hard on the South Australian railways and later in a factory, was self sufficient, cooked and carried out many chores, kept a huge garden of vegetables, herbs and fruit trees; including one of my favourites, wild Cherry trees!
When Pappou planted a wild cherry tree in our backyard and it started growing… I would go to the tiny non fully grown cherries, pick them…. Hold the miniature cherries in my hand and squeeze them, as I watched the liquid cherry reddish/ purplish colour, rush and run all over my hand and so my excitement, my inspiration for liquid colour – Paint began at an early age! I noticed how the liquid stained my hand and started rolling it around on my skin – ‘Wow’ !
“Marisa, leave the cherries to grow so we can eat them…” But little did dad know, what I had discovered!
When I was a toddler Pappou would sit me on his knee and I would play with his orange beaded komboloi/ Komboloyee, Greek ‘happy’ pass time beads. Many years later, I found one of the orange komboloi beads tossed in my late Grandparents garage and knew that Pappou was ‘talking’ to me. One bright orange bead –
Pappou’s komboloi of beads, was my creative embedding for designing and creating beaded Luxury Necklaces / Jewellery – Jewelry!
Pappou would have Loved this Necklace ‘Harmony’ perhaps for Yiayia! In his favourite colours – Orange and Carnelian, Handmade, Designed and Created by Marisa Angelis
Whenever my father tried to renovate; repair windows with putty, little fingers followed – I was a crafter from way back!
Sorry dad! You had to re apply everything twice – maybe even three times!
I’d follow and watch dad making, fixing, building, growing, nurturing everything!
On a sunny day in South Australia, my puppy, Sage barked continuously for the first time since we welcomed each other into our lives.
‘Sage-ee, Sage-ee, quite’ and out through the backdoor of my home, I found myself in front of the obnoxious weed tree that I refused to pull out of the ground when it first appeared because I wanted a native tree in that spot!
The weed had grown into a lush strong tree – plant, shading the left side of the sunroom and yard, perfect for the intense Australian sunshine.
I looked up into the tree and couldn’t see what the puppy was barking at, with his; ‘its there, its in there’ bulging human like eyes expression…
Overjoyed to say the least, her eyes glistening and her face radiated, she looked directly towards me as I chatted to her sweetly, whilst cuddle patting Sage, ‘good boy’.
I rushed inside to retrieve my phone and a treat for the puppy!
Photographing the Koala with ‘you’re a sweet, beautiful girl…’, ‘we’ll look after you, we’ll show the the way’, ‘you’re so sweet, yes you are…’
She genuinely lapped up the attention, with more smiles and poses.
With many photographs and the contented Koala sitting on the branch watching Sage and me, I placed a small bowl of water by the base of the tree and showed the Koala, the bowl of water as I emptied some so the Koala could see the liquid.
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By now my family and I had observed and kept the Koala company for half an hour or so and we noticed the Koala started getting restless as she planned on climbing down from the tree.
We all retrieved further away, as far as we could from the tree and surrounding area.
I set my phone to video and began to film as the Koala climbed down on all fours, looking at the bowl of water and crawling passed it, passing us as she made her way to the right side of my large backyard’s fence, now crawl running and entering Australian native plants, flowers, shrubs as she climbed over the fence and into the foothills and bush, back into her natural habitat!
I named him Sage and he rushed to me without hesitation and the breeder announced; “take him! He’s yours!” “He even has your eyes” Laughing out loud – that’s what she said!
Sage barks; ‘dinner is ready, humans naughty, dogs near, stop… Wait, you left without… Go back’ – Synchronised everything!
Blocks my path. ‘Something’s not right!’ ‘Get it right… !’ “Thank you Sage! Good Dog!”
Sage’s eyes bulge out ‘did you see that?!” Or he will say “Come! Come!” (“Ellahh! Ellahh!”) in Greek!
Sage once discovered a koala in my backyard!
Sage likes girl pooches, tried to jump on a few after being approached by them first as they stuck their tongues on him or laid down flat out in front of him! Hilarity as the other dog owners get surprised! Their girls are tarts!
Sage was named after The Three Wise Men! ‘The Sages’
“Button nose Sage, is a legend, a Fun Guy!”
Smile…. What Are You Waiting For
“What if there is a dog breed that has Pug and King Charles Cavalier, is golden brown in colour, gentle, patient, helpful and kind just like a Rottweiler only miniature?”
Pugalier or Pug X
After five months, I was ready for my next pet dog.
Pugaliers were difficult to find in South Australia and I was hoping to meet the pup to ‘be’ and see if the pup chose me.
Winter, heavy stormy weekend, Saturday morning and I awoke after a dream with an inkling.
The local newspapers’ pet section read, ‘Pugalier puppies ready to go; one male, two females…’ Just like that ‘Wow!’ This is the one!
In the dream, my friend who had passed appeared with Cavalier pups.
On the phone, the breeder said all three pups were still available.
My father accompanied me through the now wild storm to Strathalbyn, passing paddocks with horses, stables, scrub, getting lost and asking horse riders and locals for directions….
Wrong turn!
“Dad, I don’t know what this intersection is, there’s no sign!”
It was dark and then, suddenly, the rain stopped, the sun shone and the most gigantic rainbow appeared over us as we drove through admiring the vibrant colours …
This was The Sign!
The pups’ mother kissed my hands as the male puppy entered the room observing me. I looked at his cuteness, ‘Hello… Come’ and he did!
During my stay, I visited the Botanic gardens and saw my first Orchid, or perhaps I had seen Orchids before, but had not really noticed them until I saw a fuschia coloured Orchid.
This uniquely beautifully flower had five petals, with one petal being larger than the others.
Walking through the humidity and dripping with perspiration, (in those days I used hairspray – yikes!) Says the me, now! I remember how the sticky stuff melted and liquified through my head and hair and onto the white t-shirt that I wore as I walked briskly through the magical and naturally beautiful gardens.
The Orchid Enclosure at Singapore –
Botanic Gardens
~ Vintage Photography ~
As time passed I learnt about many other species of flowers and plants, but I always had a special liking and love for Orchids.
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Occasionally throughout life, I would reflect on that happy moment of holding that beautiful delicate flower and remember it like yesterday, as I photographed it with my then pocket sized manual film camera.
The colour was amazing and much better than the photographically captured photo.
Photograph of The Orchids
Around me, no one that I knew had Orchids and I hardly ever saw any in floristries…
Years went by and destiny took me to Canada where after a very long time, almost a life time, I reunited with my now late Godfather.
We travelled to farms and met farmers who grew and sold organic fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
My late Godfather, like myself was a fastidious cook who took care, even for when it came down to fresh produce for his restaurant. We exchanged recipes and as I looked through my late Godfathers’ generous collection of cookbooks, I came across a recipe book by Sophia Loren!
From this book and combined with a Greek recipe, he would make an all seasons vegetable stew that never changed in flavour.
The Canadian summer climate most probably the air pressure seemed heavy and lacked in moisture/ humidity. All of my late Godfather’s guests use to feel the same regardless of what part of the world they came from; Greece, Australia, America, China etc
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One day we were looking around and inside his newly built house and all that he had indoors were two bay leaf plants/ trees that had grown and were ready for planting. Unfortunately they were not very healthy. We tried everything to get them healthy again but the climate was not good for them.
My late Godfather felt that something was missing; something natural, nature, so one day, he decided that he would look for and search to find floral plants of some sought, but didn’t know what to look for. He just wasn’t sure… Then suddenly I remembered the joy that I had when I experienced the Orchids back in Singapore!
So, I mentioned Orchids. I had never mentioned Orchids to anyone before in my entire life.
I described them to my late Godfather and went on to explain how they come in many various colours, how they are delicate and almost ‘human like’ and so beautiful. He liked the description and idea, so he contacted a florist that he knew and to my inkling, the flowers would probably not survive as being a very sensitive species, in the Canadian climate and particularly in the environment in which my late Godfather wanted to place them.
After this, he decided to stick with his apple trees, vine and tomatoes that his friend and employee was looking after.
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After my stay and some years later in Australia, sadly my Godfather passed.
Some months after his passing, it was summer and a scorching day…
I went for a stroll through my late Godfather’s first old Adelaide, Australia neighbourhood. As I strolled through, on my way back to the car park there was an office premises that had a step and on the step was an off white in colour vase with a bouquet of Orchids!
The Orchids were left abandoned and they were waiting for me!
As I looked at them and waited to see if anyone would return to claim them, I turned around and looked onto the busy street and at that moment, a certain car, my late Godfather and I shared a passion for cars, photography and animals drove passed with my Godfather’s name on the number plate!
A Spiritual Turn of Events! A Sign! My Godfather’s name! The Orchids!
WoW !
The Orchids with the Vase!
Orchids Symbolise Love Orchids make any environment Enchanting, Warm and Welcoming!
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A floral arrangement, featuring Orchids and Roses by a local florist!
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Orchids and their Symbolisms
Orchids is from the Greek / Hellenic word ‘Orchis’
meaning; ‘testicle’ and it’s meaning is associated to beginnings – marriage
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