Joanna Kardiakou has studied painting, Interior Architecture and Decoration at the Art and Design College of Athens. She studied under well-known Fine Arts lecturer and painter Thanasis Makris and attended Art History, taught by Manos Stefanidis, Director of the National Gallery and also attended painting workshops by painter Tassos Rigas.
Kardiakou is a member of UNESCO in the field of Arts, Sciences and Literature of Greece under the auspices of the Greek National Commission for UNESCO. She is a member of the Chamber of Fine Arts Greece. Her works exist in many private collections in Greece and abroad.
Do you remember yourself painting during your childhood years?
Since I was a little kid, I remember myself being a restless, creative and incompatible personality as well. I also liked very much learning, exploring and searching for different ways to express my inner world through the images that I created!
You turned the page from modelling to painting. What happened to cause you to follow that path?
That’s a very good question!! As I have already mentioned, as long as I can remember, I totally was of a restless nature, I liked very much exploring even different places. I still studied to become a painter at the School of Fine Arts, when by chance some people suggested I took part in a TV commercial. Then as a hobby I started modelling and was busy with that but for a short time.
I always had an intense inner urge to take up painting again. Painting needs a more intimate way to express its potential. So, at the right time for me, I entered the field of Arts with gusto, a field in which I am totally active today.
How long have you been working as a painter?
I have been working as a professional painter for almost 10 years.
Do you belong to a specific school of art? Describe your style.
Although I do not like putting labels on paintings, I would probably occupy myself more towards abstract expressionism with a specific emphasis on total bright colours.
What materials and tools do you use while painting?
I have already worked with so many different techniques using as the main materials acrylic paints combining them with other materials and tools for the purpose of some tension in the composition of the artwork.
Is painting an extension of an inner train of thoughts?
I totally express some pieces of my mental world and this depends on the categories of my artwork. In every category, I really express totally different things. For example, when painting flowers my own flowers look like shadows that reach the sky, like an invocation to God. In the category of forests, we meet the metaphysical elements. So every category is a part of my mental and soul-searching process.
Are you influenced by great painters?
Absolutely. I have admired the work of many painters in Greece and abroad and apart from that I have admired amazing paintings in many museums by great painters on my travels abroad. Surely I am influenced by the fathers of expressionism like Vincent Van Gogh, and Paul Cezanne. Their work is truly amazing and spectacular. I am also influenced by the later ones of pop artists like Andy Warhol. However, I am trying to find my own personal style so that I can be very happy and also have the honour of leaving my own style among my paintings.
What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
I am very proud of my painting progress so far, for all the exhibitions that I have exhibited my art at various known galleries around the world such as Florence, Switzerland, New York and recently at ‘’Art Basel‘’ in Miami. I am also fully proud because my paintings are included in many private collections!
Describe your dream project and disclose some of your future plans.
I have already started and am working on a series of new projects inspired by Formula 1. Apart from that, I have already started a series of paintings including the subject of tankers in shipyards, but they are characterised by a style that I would call industrial romance. Above this concept, my next big project will also be relevant to it, my next big individual exhibition, for which I want to believe and hope that it will happen soon and I really want very much to believe that it will be a great success!
Is art important to our society?
Of course, art is extremely important and vital to our society due to the fact that art has been found to protect the mental health of people, elevate spirituality in people and apart from that art is a vital part of our cultural heritage.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063675962925
INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/ioanna_kardiakou_art/