As I have enjoyed everything so far on this study abroad, I find it hard to settle on one thing to discuss. We are about a week and a day into this now and I feel like I have been here forever. I feel like it is fairly easy to fit in and find our way because everyone is so nice and friendly. Greece has beautiful sites and I love exploring the city. So today after a wonderful Greek style breakfast and our class on self-efficacy and stories (which was one of my favorite classes thus-far), a couple students and I went to visit the market and the square of Thessaloniki. A lot of us wanted to go back and to buy some souvenirs, so we spent today doing that! After buying some, we ate some delicious sandwiches and then visited the Crepe shop that everyone had kept talking about. We really wanted to experience it for ourselves and we for sure did enjoy it! I ended up splitting a nutella and banana crepe with a couple students with me because the crepes were just too big for one person! After tiring ourselves out from the shopping and stuff we came back to indulge in the “siesta time” that the Greeks follow (really trying to experience the culture…lol).
After naps and dinner, a couple of us found ourselves anticipating the time until the artist was coming
to share his artwork. His name is Φώτης Ασπρομάτης (Fotis Aspromatis). Little did we know that we
were going to be able to actually draw a little with him and edit some of his work. When he arrived at
the hotel, which is where one of his biggest artexhibits is, he told us a little bit about his style and
work. He worked through a translator because he only spoke fluent Greek. After telling us about his
art and showing us his favorite pieces, we then all went to the room and he took out “pre-drawn”
pictures that he didn’t fully complete. He had left them that way so that we could embellish them in
our own ways and then color them when they were finished. The pictures portrayed sites of Venice,
Thessaloniki, dolphins, and one of his famous portrayals of women. He had only made 6 and there
turned out to be 7 of us that attended the workshop. I got lucky because he then worked with me to
draw a new one and I got to see him in progress as well as he let me make changes and embellish it in
my own way. Out of all we have done so far, I have to say that this was truly my favorite activity. I
really enjoy drawing and being able to work one-on-one with a Greek artist was an amazing
experience. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this amazing opportunity will turn out to be like!
ΚΑΛΗΝΥΧΤΑ (Goodnight),
Me in the square of Thessaloniki, after shopping for souvenirs, enjoying a delicious crepe.
A collage of me working with the artist and one of his pieces on show in the hotel.
A “before and after” of the art I worked on with the artist. (still not fully complete)
A group photo of all of us with the artist after working on our art pieces.
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