I’m a resin and multimedia artist. I draw my inspiration from my environment and am constantly inspired by Mother Nature. I explore the concept of the ocean through organic movement and fluidity. My work reveals an intuitive approach with fluid compositions, particularly suggestive of ocean-like forms that explore the interactions between the shallow and the deep. My layered works convey the ambiguity and complexity of my local environment.
Creating artwork has allowed me to explore dynamic colours, organic movement and and fluidity.
Joy is a multi-disciplinary artist with works in puppetry, painting, ceramics, printmaking, digital imagery, and traditional icon painting. Her work explores the patterns, rhythms, and marks of nature in painted and printed forms and more recently from coffee cup ‘reading’ pattern imagery.
In her painted works, she abstracts the natural forms to a series of graphic units of strokes and lines. With these units she uses a technically simple form of printmaking and painting to build complex layers of colour, depth, and movement. Moving away from representing the natural world in natural pictorial form, she deconstructs imagery using repetition of marks to create moving surfaces of colour which allude to energy fields, wave systems and other unseen patterns within the natural world.
Joy (Economos) McDonald studied Fine Arts at Sydney University (1970s) and graduated at the Australian National University in Visual Arts in 1997 after teaching for several years in NSW. Now residing in Melbourne Joy has continued her art career in abstract imagery both digital and on canvas.
Her work is in several collections both overseas and in Australia, in the collection of the Canberra Museum and Gallery and in corporate collections. She spent time in Canberra on the Board of ANCA (Australian National Capital Artists) was a member of Craft ACT where she often exhibited as an APM, (Aust. Professional Member) her last solo there being in 2013.
She was a finalist in the Fleurieu Biennale SA in 2008, and again in three categories with two high commendations in 2011. She received a Rosalie Gascoigne Award from the Capital Arts Patrons Organization (CAPO) Canberra and a recipient of two grants from artsACT 2011 and 2012 for a Centenary puppet stage production and children’s book in 2013 titled, The Very Sad Fishlady, which was performed at THE STREET THEATRE. This story, and its subsequent production, was inspired by her Greek heritage with connections to Kastellorizo, in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece.
In her early artistic career, Joy began as a puppeteer with Peter Scriven’s Marionette Theatre, The Tintookies which toured Australia’s country towns. Here she worked with Michael Salmon, the well-known Melbourne children’s author. Joy has had over sixty exhibitions (ceramic, painting, and prints) and several solo exhibitions in Canberra and Sydney. She lives with her Husband James McDonald, PhD, who is an academic and a historian, specialising in Classical Greek and Canberra history.
In memory of Stella, whose work had a profound effect on the cultural life of the Greek Community of Melbourne, with the request that the following excerpt and images about the life and work of Stella Tsirka be used for inclusion in the Greek Australian Art Directory (GAAD).
Stella was born in the old city of Athens. From a young age she showed talent in music and art. After completing high school education she attended music lessons at the University of Athens. She is a self-taught artist and has been practicing her painting for more than 20 years. Her technique, although simple in execution, is quite effective in describing feelings and highly charged emotional states. In many of the compositions one can see surreal elements as if coming straight from her subconscious to dominate an otherwise quite logical landscape. There seems to be an on-going struggle between logic and the subconscious, between what one expects to see and what appears in a landscape. Stella’s is a very personal style, derived from her own life experiences and her desire to express feelings which lie too deep for words. In landscape and portrait painting Stella found the perfect medium of artistic expression.
Στέλλα Τσίρκα
Γεννήθηκα στην αρχαία Αθήνα. Μετά τη μεσαία εκπαίδευση, φοίτησα στο πανεπιστήμιο μουσικής στη σχολή μονωδίας της όπερας της Αθήνας. Από μικρό παιδί έδειξα ταλέντο στη μουσική και ζωγραφική. Με την ζωγραφική ασχολήθηκα περίπου είκοσι χρόνια. Αγαπάω τον υπερρεαλισμό. Τα χρώματα μου είναι από μαγεία των αγριολουλουδιών και του ουράνιου τόξου. Έχω προσθέσει επί πλέον μαύρο και καφέ σε διάφορους συνδυασμούς. Η σκιτσογραφία μου πηγάζει από το υποσυνείδητο με αντιμέτωπους την λογική να διαμαρτύρεται αλλά η σκέψη μου το παρουσιάζει έξω να το γράψω, έτσι το βλέπω
Georgia Tsarouhas is a self-taught artist who has been painting for several years from her home studio in Melbourne, Australia.
Born a Greek-Australian, she spent many of her formative years living in Australia and Greece for significant periods of time, and her psyche has been indelibly imbued by her life’s experiences being intertwined with these two incredible cultures and rich landscapes.
In her work she delves deeply to create significant visual experiences, usually drawing on personal undercurrents, linking themes of memory, heritage, internal language, time, and being—with internal and external landscapes. She takes note of the fragile wefts and warps of the human condition and combines these with inspiration from nature—weaving in the intangible, the in-betweenness of things, of love and loss, solace and yearning, beginning and end, holding on and letting go, fear and euphoria, the organic and static, light and dark, the process of metamorphosis and transition, making the invisible visible. As she engages with spontaneous yet conscious gestural expressions of color, marks, and abstraction, the composition that emerges on the canvas is one that conveys the emotional imagery she experiences through this layered contemplation.
Georgia paints large-scale as a way to find an expansive expression for what is ultimately an intimate connection with her own metaphysical alchemy. This endeavour nourishes her like a meditation and is what makes the process of painting both alluring and intriguing for her. Above all, her paintings are about resonance and connection. Georgia states: “My paintings are visceral visionary landscapes that resonate with an emotional response to memory and experience of being and place, via abstractions of color and the velvety lusciousness of oil on a large-scale canvas.”
Georgia’s paintings are held in private collections in Australia and overseas.
Michael Christofas is a photographer who was born and raised in Melbourne. His passion for photography initially stemmed from a young age when he holidayed to various parts of Australia and around the globe with his parents, brother and sister. Once old enough to venture out on his own, he used travel as a means to experience different cultures and to immerse himself in the sights and sounds of these environments. Reflecting back, Michael believes this was his grounding into being able to connect with people, listen to their stories regardless of language barriers and be able to gain trust to capture visually expressive portraits.
Michael’s professional photographic journey started to take shape when he returned to tertiary education and graduated in 2007 with an Advanced Diploma in Photography. During his 4 years at the renowned Photography Studies College, Michael was able gain insight and skill in analogue (film) photography, Black & White Printing as well as Digital Photography.
As a visual artist, his love for people based photography has seen him gravitate more and more towards environmental portraiture. He gains inspiration by understanding, listening and engaging with each person he photographs. Michael’s images are raw and emotive and shows a true connection between artist and subject. His portraits can often reveal an alternate character that highlights identity and honesty.
Michael has worked as a freelance commercial photographer for fifteen years. His work is used in advertising, media, marketing collateral and websites. He is hired to capture images by not for profit & community organisations, as well as business groups & individuals from various sectors and industries.
He also designs and delivers training around photography. Whether it be camera operation and techniques, photo retouching or Photography for Wellness, Michael has facilitated workshops across many groups and levels.
A long term teacher and practitioner of Sogetsu Ikebana (Japanese Floral Art) and a key member of the ikebana community in Australia, having studied for 18 years. Along the way was awarded multiple accreditations, culminating in the final, ‘Riji’, the highest accreditation possible outside of Japan. In 2014, spent three months in intensive study at headquarters in Tokyo as the recipient of the Norman and Mary Sparnon scholarship.
Teaching since 2004 and, more recently, commenced teaching monthly Masterclasses for the more advanced students of ikebana.
Participated in numerous exhibitions for Sogetsu Ikebana Victorian Branch and Ikebana International as well as a Sogetsu Exhibition in Tokyo. Was invited to be a guest demonstrator at the Ikebana International World Conference in Okinawa in 2017, to an audience of 1100 delegates and 3 Royal Princesses.
Conducted numerous workshops and demonstrations here, in Victoria as well as Brisbane, Wellington and Christchurch. Exhibited numerous times at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and was awarded a number of prizes, including three firsts in the Shop Window Competition.
As the Sogetsu curriculum evolves, sculptural work has recently been introduced. This has given rise to branching out into sculpture. In 2017, in collaboration with another artist, created an outdoor sculpture for an apartment complex. In 2019, collaborated with artist, John Meade, in designing the 10 metre tall, street sculpture, Love Flower. Subsequently, is branching into large and more commercial sculptures and installations.
In 2020, due to the constraints of Covid-19, conducted a Zoom demonstration, hosted by the Mumbai Chapter of Ikebana International, shared worldwide and via YouTube.
‘A gesture in visual art is an expression of an idea or meaning which is presented and performed through the somatic effect on material and site. In other words, it is an expression of the body’s temporal rhythm, as well as a record of the body’s interaction and encounter with material and space.‘ Emmy Mavroidis
Born in 1965 in Melbourne, Emmy Mavroidis is a Master by Research candidate at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at The University of Melbourne. Currently, she is conducting research focusing on Drawing: Gesture, the Body, and Movement. At the Faculty of Fine Art and Music, The University of Melbourne, she earned a Master’s in Contemporary Art in 2020. Following her completion of her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) degree at the Victorian College of the Arts in 1986, she earned her Diploma in Education in 1992.
She founded Nyora Studio Gallery in 2003, a thriving arts centre in Melbourne. Emmy teaches & mentors other artists through the Nyora Gallery Resident Artists Program as well as holding exhibitions and workshops on drawing and sculpture.
2021-current Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, The University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts Master of Fine Art, by Research 2019-20 The University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts Fine Arts & Music, Master of Contemporary Art 2003 – current Nyora Studio Gallery Director, Melbourne 1991 The University of Melbourne, Institute of Education. Diploma of Education 1984–1986 Victorian College of the Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting
SELECTED PRIZES AND AWARDS 2023 Artist in Residence at DRAWinternational Caylus, France 2022 Recipient of The University of Melbourne, Stuart Black Memorial Scholarship for excellence in drawing. 2020 Winner of the Arnold Bloch Leibler Award, Yering Station Sculpture Award, Yarra Glen, Victoria. 2020 Grant awarded, Nillumbik Shire Council. Time of COVID-19, Art and Cultural Development, 2019 Montalto Sculpture Prize, Finalist, Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove, Red Hill, Victoria 2018 Lorne Sculpture Biennale Small Sculpture Prize, Finalist, Lorne, Victoria 2016 Winner, Yering Station Sculpture Award, Yering Staff & Directors Choice Award, Yarra Glenn, Victoria 2015 Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize, Finalist 2014 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize – Semi-finalist 2013 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize – Semi-finalist 1985 Clifton Pugh Drawing Prize, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Victoria 1985 The Trustees of the National Gallery of Victoria Award, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Victoria
Born in Paphos, Cyprus. Living in Melbourne Australia, Barbara’s art practice is an emotive, intellectual, and philosophical investigation of life and place in the modern world. Exploring her inner consciousness and how it interacts with her external surroundings. There is a constant push-pull effect of anarchy and control. The aim is to find balance within the chaos of these two spaces and discover what results. An ongoing theme within the artist’s practice is the study of the human condition. Examining our value system as a society and on a personal level. The use of colour is a critical part of her dialogue analysis. Engaging in an unspoken language through a spectrum of colours, form, scale, materials, and physical space.
Barbara has exhibited in Australia, Hong Kong, London. Her artworks are held in both private and public collections throughout Australia, Asia, New Zealand, Europe, and North America.
Thalia put her career and love of art on hold to raise her family, but now she pursues her true passion as an expressionist artist.
Most of her work is inspired by nature- landscapes, seascapes and underwater life. ‘Beauty is hidden in the colours, textures and shapes found in our natural surrounds, parks, mountains and forever-flowing seas’. She hopes people view her work as both vibrant and exciting with the colours, textures and strokes applied, reflecting the depth, meaning and unique quality of each of her paintings.
Thalia has a Diploma of Fine Arts (Painting), is both a long serving committee member of the Greek Australian Cultural League and member of C.A.S (Contemporary Art Society, Victoria).
Christina Heristanidis is an award winning filmmaker. Her films have screened on national television, at film festivals and in art galleries, including the NGV. She has a degree in Fashion Design from RMIT University (1984) as well as a degree in Media Arts (1996), also from RMIT University. She followed these up with a Graduate Diploma in Film and Television from the Victorian College of the Arts (Melbourne University). She has taught in both the School of Fashion & Textiles and the School of Media & Communication at RMIT University. In 2000 Christina wrote, directed and co-produced her film Dear Bert which won The United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Award for promotion of Multicultural issues. She has been on the selection panel for short documentaries at The Melbourne International Film Festival from 2003 till 2018 inclusive.
Graduate Diploma (Film and Television) Victorian College of the Arts. At The University of Melbourne (completed 1997)
Bachelor of Arts (Media) RMIT University (completed 1996)
Bachelor of Arts (Fashion) RMIT University (completed 1984)
Past projects, exhibitions and awards
2020: We The Makers Create. National Wool Museum Geelong Public Gallery
2019: Liminal State – a digitally projected exhibition of lost, forgotten and abandoned clothing as part of VAMFF
2012: L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival, cultural program event. Hand Eye Collective, hosts a series of discussion around current issues and ideas of major importance in fashion design thinking today
2012-Present: Founding member of The Hand Eye Collective
1999-2018: On the selection panel for short documentary film for Melbourne International film Festival (one year off to have a child)
2001: Winner of The United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Award, for Promotion of Multicultural Issues
1998: Winner of Dox Direct- Cinemedia and SBS Independent Accord Competition
1998: Judge for The Melbourne International Film Festival
