Manolis Grigoreas was born in Piraeus in 1952. He is self taught and has exhibited his work in Athens, Thessaloniki and London. His paintings hang in private collections in Greece and abroad. Since 1992 he has lived and worked in Monemvassia. Grigoreas is known for his micrographic technique, his chromatic ability and his wide choice of thematic compositions. He paints with coloured pencils and china ink on millboard; a thick paper also containing cotton fibres. The result is a type of dry watercolour. The bright colours are further heightened by a multitude of points and dashes in china ink. This painstaking work is completed by a contour reminiscent of old embroideries. One critic, writing about Grigoreas, characterised his work as “a flame of fire” inspired by Greek traditions extending from ancient times right down to our modern days. In March 2006 Grigoreas opened, in Monemvassia, a permanent exhibition of his work at his own MALVA gallery.

 
Courtesy of the artist’s website.