ASTORIA— On June 6, the Academy of Hellenic Paideia’s TIMARETE Hellenic Art Festival opened its Children’s Art Exhibition at the Greek Cultural Center showing the fantastic artwork created by the children in the Drawing and Painting class offered by the Academy, taught by renowned artist and teacher Antonia Papatzanaki who curated the exhibition as well. Also featured in the exhibition, artwork by the students of the 8th Elementary School of Kordelio, Thessaloniki.

The remarkable creativity expressed by the children using various artistic media is impressive. Their imagination on display in acrylic on canvas, aquarelle on paper, fabric constructions, and collages is dynamic and colorful. The exhibition not only displays the creativity of the students, but also gives back. The students donated all the participating artworks which will be auctioned for the Festival ends.

In view of the current economic crisis, the proceeds from the sale of the students’ works of the 8th Elementary School of Kordelio, Thessaloniki will be donated to support students of that school who are in need. Bidding on the artwork began on June 6 and runs through Saturday June 11 when the last chance to bid on these wonderful artworks will be held at the Greek Cultural Center from 4:30-5pm.

Young artists proudly showed their artwork including Haroula Katsanevakis, Alexandria Giannopoulos, Eleni Sfakianos, and Iphigenia Petras. Also present at the opening along with other students, their parents, and teachers were Papatzanaki, Petros Pitsilos, Adamantia Mari, Andreas Michaelides, Marietta Pilarinos, Demetra Varsami, Athena Efter, Kostas Sfakianos, Paula Sfakianos, Dora Fiotodimitrakis, Konstantinos Doikos, and Nikos Katsanevakis. Varsami, principal of the Academy mentioned the importance of supporting the festival and Greek art while encouraging the children to express their creativity. Gifted artist and teacher Papatzanaki, also noted the importance of nurturing the creativity of the children.

Papatzanaki who teaches art at the Academy for children and adults, was educated at the Athens School of Fine Arts (G. Nikolaidi’s Workshop), in the Vienna Hochschule fur Angenwandte Kunst (W. Bertoni’s Workshop), and Pratt Institute in New York, where she acquired her Master’s degree in fine arts. She has received many prestigious awards: the Katonah Museum of Art, NY; Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Foundation for Hellenic Culture; Gerondelis Foundation, Lynn, MA; the Hellenic State Scholarship Foundation; and the F.V.S. zu Hamburg Foundation; and has gained first prizes from PanHellenic and International Competitions for public art work installations. Papatzanaki has also participated in more than fifty group exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and the United States, including most recently Whispers, Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete, Rethymnon, 2016; History-Irony at Vorres Museum, Paiania, Athens, 2015; and Harmony, 22nd Seoul International Art Festival, Chosunilbo Museum, South Korea, 2014.

The Hellenic Art Festival opened on June 5 with the Academy of Hellenic Paideia’s adult theater workshop presentation of The Heirs, a comedy inspired by old Greek cinema written by Konstantinos Doikos, taught and directed by Ioanna Katsarou. The festival continues with short film screenings from the International Film Festival of Drama, Greece, the first of which followed the opening of the art exhibition.

The Short Film Screening runs through June 11 at the Greek Cultural Center and features a variety of films representing the extraordinary work of Greek filmmakers. A screening of short films for children ages 10-13 will take place on June 11 at 12pm. Music, dance, and a book fair are also part of the Hellenic Arts Festival. The children’s theater piece With a Smile will conclude the festival on June 11 at 3pm at the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria.

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