We are only 4 days away from our opening reception and panel discussion!

Introducing one of the eleven woman artists of greek descent who will be featured in our group

Fine Art Exhibition on March 1st:

After a traumatic brain injury forced her into complete isolation and cognitive rest, artful living took on new meaning; it became an essential part of her healing.

Today, self-taught artist Theodora Miller has a thriving creative practice and signature style. Studio time is exploratory in nature, building up layers of acrylic paint and playing with colorful paint skins from her recycled palette papers. Her ever-evolving visual language is influenced by nature, ancient symbols, global cultures and historic languages. Theodora’s calligraphic designs are an authentic expression of her Greek identity, merging memory, emotion and history into visual statements that are uniquely her own.

Theodora is a lifelong learner and her creative energy knows no bounds as she has expanded her painterly aesthetic beyond paper to ceramics, textiles, jewelry and other artful gifts. As a creative mentor, she leads workshops, co-hosts the Art of Living Well retreat in Greece, provides consulting services, and delivers inspirational public speaking engagements. Her soulful creations reside in corporate collections, medical facilities, and in private homes around the globe. She resides in Richmond, Virginia, but her spirit dwells on an island in the Aegean Sea.

I've been following Theodora's evolution as an artist for years through Instagram. Thank God for the internet, which brings us all together!

I discovered Theodora's artwork through another Greek Orthodox creative entrepreneur and jewelry designer, Vana Chump. Vana used to live in Chicago and attended church services at my home parish of St. John the Baptist in Des Plaines. When she moved to Virginia, she met Theodora at church, and they bonded over their love for creation and design. They now share a physical studio space in Richmond, Virginia, called STUDIO.

I’ve always looked up to Vana and Theodora as role models for what a thriving creative business could look like for a Greek Orthodox woman. They have both been a huge inspiration to me in pursuing my passion of building a career as a creative entrepreneur.

I am so honored to introduce you to her and welcome Theodora as one of our exhibiting artists.

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A Note from the Curator, Christina Angelos:

My name is Christina Angelos and I am a professional Fine Artist focusing on painting our soul's mystical experience of the water and cliffs of Greece. As a Greek Orthodox Christian it is my goal to create visual narratives that tell the story of how our "nous" or "subconscious mind" experiences the mystical energy of God's creation. Through flowing abstract lines, I capture not only the fingerprint of each wave, but also capture the invisible energy that nature possesses.

The themes and philosophies of the fine art are also correlated to my Greek ancestry. The blue and white colors that I choose to use often in my paintings of the ocean are a homage to the blue and white of the Greek Flag. Blue symbolizing Freedom, hope, and prosperity as well as the blue waves of the waters and the skies of Greece.

And white symbolizing the peace and purity of the soul as well as the white foam from the crashing waves of sea.

The cross on the Greek flag is a symbol of orthodoxy, and the glorification of the divine.

I love to think as my paintings as a modern day representation of the national Greek Flag.

This curation of artworks is a visual exploration of our Greek Heritage, the history of our ancestors, and our shared experience of the bliss and majesty the land of Greece brings to our souls every single day, even when we are thousands of miles away from our Homeland. Like when Odysseus was thousands of miles away from his home, he know his true home existed within his heart.

And that is the story we are telling as a collective through our artwork.

The reason why I organized this group exhibition is because personally I am obsessed with Greek culture and creating art. Greece and art are woven into every inch of my being, and I can't help but share my passion and love with my community. Over the years I have been discovering so many amazing women through Instagram that share my story of our ancestors immigrating from Greece to create a better life for us. These women share the same obsession with creating as I do and their love for their culture exudes out of them like a fragrant scent of a flower. As an artist, you can sometimes feel like the black sheep of your family and of society. No one around you seems to see the world like you do, or have such a sensitive spiritual connection to every little human experience. I for one hand felt very alone for a very long time. I felt like I was the only one feeling this deep sense of connection to the Land of Greece, and to my art practice. When I began to discover that there were other women who not only were obsessed with creating art, but also shared my love for our Greek Heritage, I knew it was my calling to bring all these women together to show our work in one physical room. I am so grateful that I met the gallery owner of Celestial Art Curation Gallery in Hinsdale, IL. I was one of the first artists she on-boarded when her gallery was only virtual. Our relationship blossomed from being fellow artists to becoming close friends. This blooming friendship and the opening of the physical gallery in the heart of Downtown Hinsdale, became the catalyst to beginning the curation of this exhibition.

You are welcome to view more of my art and writing on my Instagram page

and view avalible works of art on ChristinaAngelosStudios.com​

​Listen to my full interview on Youtube. ​

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