Stella Ambartzi

BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTIST


Stella Ambartzi [Ambartzidou] was born in Drama in june the 5th 1959,where she finished High School.
She developed her artistic talent and activities since school years.
She comes from a family of Professional Photographers [father and both grandfathers].
In 1980 she went to the U.S.A, intending to study Psychology and enrolled the UCCS of Colorado Springs. After a while she withdrew and started learning about Art.
Her teacher was Timothy Lee Carpenter [Artist].
She also learnt paper making at a seminar of the Fine Arts Center, of Colorado Springs.During 1981-1983 she went to Greece and back to U.S.A getting inspiration from both countries.
Towards the end of 1983 she went back to Greece and created at her home town,Drama.
She moved to Thessaloniki from 1987-1989,where she continued her career as an Artist. Then she moved to Drama for a few months and in 1990 she went to the U.S.A for one year.
In 1991 she came back to Drama, Greece where she created her Atelier teaching Art classes at the beginning of 1992 and Byzantine Icon Painting later in 1993.
Her teacher in Byzantine Art is Constantinos Tsetsikas who studied at the famous Atelier of Petros Vampoulis in Athens.Vampoulis studied at the Atelier of Fotios Contoglou.


EXHIBITIONS:

1982: She participated at a Photo Contest and Exhibition of the Photo magazine “Photographer’s Forum “ in California,U.S.A.Her selected photograph was published at a special edition called [The best of Photography Annual 1982],[Award of Excellence].
1982: Member of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
1984: Two group Photography show at the Photographer’s Club in Drama , where she was a member.
1985: One woman Photography show at the Cultural Club in Drama.
1986: One woman Photography show at the Hotel Xenia of Drama.Inks,Pastels.
1986: Group Art show at the Cultural Club of Drama [Honorable mention].Oils.
1986; Group Art show that was organized by the Association of Drama Studies at
the Hotel Xenia of Drama. Oils. Watercolors.Pastels.
1986: She participated at the Photography Contest and exhibition of the National
Celebration of Thessaloniki called “Dimitria”. [ Honorable Mention ]. The
Exhibition was organized by the Movie and Photography Club of Thessalo-
Niki.
1987: She moved to Thessaloniki , Greece.
1988: May-June: One woman Art show at the Gallery of the Town Hall of Kalama-
Ria , Thessaloniki. [ Ink Tree Collection ].
1988: September –October .Group Art Show at the the Cultural Center of Thessa-
Loniki. [The Tree Collection].
1988: Group Art Show that was organized by the the city of Thessaloniki .
[Ink Tree Collection, Pastels, Watercolors].
1988: She participated at the Poetry Contest of Stavroupolis. Thessaloniki.
[Honorable mention].
1988: One woman Art Show at the Cultural Center of Serres, Greece.[Inks,
Watercolors,Pastels].
1989: One woman Art show at the Gallery of the Town Hall of Kalamaria,
Thessaloniki. [Ink Tree Collection and pastels ].
1990: She went back to Drama for a few months and traveled to the mountains of
Area and seashore and photographed the Nature, the old deserted houses and
Plaster casts in the natural environment.
1990: February-March: one woman Art show at the Gallery of the Chambers of
Commerce of Drama. [Inks, Watercolors. 93 Works included the
“Cosmogony” of 16 m and 0,70 cm in height.
1990: She went to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she lived in the past.
She became a member of the Art Guild Gallery where she had a permanent
Exhibition [ Oils,Inks, Pastels, watercolors.]
1991: Group Art show of the members of the Art Guild Gallery at the Cultural
Center of Colorado Springs. [Inks].
1991: June. She went back to Drama,Greece and participated at the local National
Celebration called “Liberty” that is organized by the city of Drama at the
Archaeological Museum of Drama [oils].
1992: She created her Atelier where she taught Art.
1992: Group Art Show of women Artists of Drama by the Greek Women Organi-
Zation. Exhibition at the Ecology Club of Drama. [Inks,Pastels and
Photography].
1992: She started presenting weekly her Photography Collection ,and Poetry at the
Local Newspaper and Radio “Echo” of Drama.
1993: She met her teacher in Byzantine Icon Painting Konstantinos Tsetsikas, who
taught her Art of it.
1993: She started teaching Byzantine Icon Painting at her Atelier. Since 1992 until
1996 she organized the Annual Art Exhibition of her students.
1994: One woman Byzantine Icon Painting Show organized by the City of Drama,
at the gallery of the Commerce Department.
1994: Group Art show at Lampertheim in Germany, which was organized by the
Foreigner’s Committee.She participated with Photography and Poetry tran-
slated in German.
1995: One woman Byzantine Icon Painting , hand made Jewelry and Photography
Show at Citroen,Drama.
1995: She taught Art to children at the 13th Primary School of Drama.
1995: One woman Byzantine Icon Painting and hand made jewelry show at
Heppenheim,Germany. The Exhibition was organized by the foreigner’s
Committee, the bank Sparkasse, and the Government.[Department of
Culture and Foreigner’s].
Sponsor was also the newspaper “Echo” of Drama, which presented all
the Articles about the show.
1995: September-October.After the exhibition in Heppenheim the Foreigner’s
Committee and the bank Sparkasse in Viernheim, Germany proposed to
the Artist to have an Exhibition in Viernheim.One part with the Byzantine


Icons and hand made jewelry at the bank and the second part with the Tree
Collection,Photography and Poetry at the Town Hall.
1995: December. One woman Byzantine Icon Painting show organized by the
Women’s Club of Drama.
1995-6: December-January.Group Art Show organized by the city of Drama.Sponsor
the newspaper “Echo” of Drama.[Byzantine Icons].
1996: February.Group Art show at the Annual Celebretion of Horisti,Greece.
[Byzantine Icons,Inks,Oils,Photography].
1996: April-May. She organized the Art Show titled : “The Children of Gragujevac
are painting” The subjects are the war in Yugoslavia, the Red Cross, the chil-
dren living with Greek families ,Peace,Future e.t.c.
1996: April-June.She taught Art at the towns of Agios Athanassios and Horisti,
Drama.
1996: She designs and writes the book titled “ The Children of Cragujevac are
painting.Sponsors the Prefecture of Drama , the wine company Lazaridis,
Drama.
1997: February. She participates in a photography group show of Horisti Annual Festival.
1997: April. She participated at the International traveling exhibition “ De Valigia “
which the Cultural City of Thessaloniki organized.
1997: April. One woman show including Byzantine Icons,Painting,Photography and
Hand Made jewels,organized by the city of Drama.
1997: June.Group Photography organized by N.E.L.E.
1998: December. Group show including Byzantine Icons sponsored by the City of
Drama, the Military, the Cultural Association of Drama and the Bishop of
Drama. .[Memorandum].
1999: December. Group Byzantine Icon Exhibition sponsored by the city of Drama.
[ Award of Excellence ]..
2004: January. One woman show including Byzantine Icons sponsored by the city
Of Drama.
2004: One woman show including Byzantine Icons, Paintings and Photography at
The annual cultural celebration of Fotolivos town.
2006: August: One woman show including Byzantine Icons sponsored by the city
Of Drama.
2008: December. One woman show including Byzantine Icons, Paintings,
Photography, Constructions, Hand made books with hand written Poetry,
Art Nouveaux, Art Deco, Paintings and Icon Painting on marbor.
2010: June. One woman show including Byzantine Icons, Photography,
Constructions, sponsored by the city of Drama.


PUBLICATIONS:

Her Poetry and Articles about Art have been published by the local press of
Drama.
Presentation of her Art and Poetry by the German press.
Art and Byzantine Icon Lectures at local radio stations.
She participated at the 2nd National Competition of Poetry of Thessaloniki.
Many of her Paintings and Byzantine Icons have been bought by Collectors,
The Public Library of Drama, Schools,. Two of her “ Tree Collection “
Paintings are owned by the Pinacoteque of Thessaloniki and the Museum of
Kalamaria, Thessaloniki.
Since 1992 her Photography is being published at the Local newspaper
“ ECHO “.





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