Author: Angela Zafiris

Hello! I'm a Artist/Writer/Photographer who lives in Athens, Greece. I have many creative ways from writing, photography, collage art, mixed-media art and poetry. I love sharing my work with people from all over the world through my blog.

Underground City/Υπόγεια Πόλη

Entrance at Zara

Ancient Stone Structure

The ancient city of Athens is littered with ruins. The famous of all ruins, the Acropolis,  is the most visible of all. But, there are buildings underneath our feet that many people do not know are there. Although I know that the ruins are everywhere, especially in the downtown area, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw some ruins at the entrance of the clothing store Zara at Panepistimiou Street. At the entrance and underneath a large sheet of plexiglass is what appears to be a stone archway of a home or some other structure. I didn’t notice it when I walked in but when I walked out I saw it and I took some photographs.

Η αρχαία πόλη της Αθήνας είναι γεμάτη με ερείπια. Το διάσημο από όλα τα ερείπια, την Ακρόπολη, είναι το πιο ορατό από όλους. Αλλά, υπάρχουν κτίρια κάτω από τα πόδια μας, ότι πολλοί άνθρωποι δεν γνωρίζουν ότι υπάρχουν. Αν και ξέρω ότι τα ερείπια είναι παντού, ειδικά στο κέντρο της πόλης, εξεπλάγην ευχάριστα όταν είδα κάποια ερείπια στην είσοδο του καταστήματος ενδυμάτων Zara στην οδό Πανεπιστημίου. Στην είσοδο και κάτω από ένα μεγάλο φύλλο του πλεξιγκλάς είναι αυτό που φαίνεται να είναι μια πέτρινη καμάρα ενός σπιτιού ή κάποια άλλη δομή. Εγώ δεν το προσέξει αυτό, όταν μπήκα μέσα, αλλά όταν μπήκα έξω το είδα και πήρα μερικές φωτογραφίες.

Socrates’ Prison/Η Φυλακή Tου Σωκράτη

Entrance To The Park

Front View Of Prison

A Sign For Visitors

Locked Cell

Inside The Ancient Prison Cave

A Short Distance From the Prison Cave

Just below the Acropolis lies a very arid and ancient park on Philopapou hill.  The park has a strange of atmosphere as do many places that have such a rich history. There were hardly any visitors in the park that day, and as I  was walking and taking photographs I noticed a cave with rusty iron bars on it. It crossed my mind that it could be Greek philospopher Socrate’s prison. I had about it a while ago, but I wasn’t sure about were its exact location might be . As I got closer to the sign I saw that it was were he was kept imprisoned and I was thrilled to see it up close.

Socrates, as many might know, was kept imprisoned after being accused of corrupting the minds of Athenian youth and not believing in the 12 Gods of Olympus. He was sentenced to death by being forced to swallow a poison called ‘konio’. He died at the age of 71 in 399 B.C.

He was a genius and the wisest of philosphers and I sometimes wonder what Socrates would say about Athens and the rest of the world today.  I think that I might have some idea of what he would say..or maybe he won’t say anything.

Many people know his most famous words that some know- it- alls may have a hard time swallowing..

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
― Socrates

 

The Cross/O Σταυρός

“Even on the cross He did not hide Himself from sight; rather, He made all creation witness to the presence of its Maker.”
“Ακόμη και στο σταυρό δεν έκρυψε τον Εαυτό του από τη θέα, μάλλον, έκανε τους ανθρώπους να είναι μαρτυρες για την παρουσία του Δημιουργού του.”― Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation

Slave Τo Time/Σκλάβος Με Το Χρόνο

‘Slave To Time’ by Angela Zafiris
Handmade collage background with layered photographs of a mountain, tree branches and female statue in the foreground.

This is my first artwork for this blog in 2014.   I thought that it was fitting since the subject is about time and this is a new year, a new time. A time of reflecting on the year that has passed and making new resolutions.

Time seem to pass by so quickly.  We are always being made aware of the time that passes because time is everywhere. We wear the time on our wrists, we see the time on our television screens, computer screens and telephones. We are constantly told how valuable and precious it is.  We are told to never waste our time. It is considered a great sin to waste time. Time has to be well spent. No idleness, no daydreaming. Your time has to be productive every minute like a machine. My great-grandparents didn’t have the exact time. They followed the movement of the sun. They looked at the shadow on the ground and they knew what time it was, although not accurate to the minute, but accuracy wasn’t necessary back then. They were not panic-stricken by the passing of minutes as we are now so they moved at a slower pace. Today we are slaves to time . We consume so much of everything now and time will never be enough.

Happy (Bile- less) New Year!/Ευτυχισμένο (με λιγότερη χολή) το Νέο Έτος!

Ι love this quote. I appreciate truthfullness!
“Happiness is too many things these days for anyone to wish it on anyone lightly. So let’s just wish each other a bile-less New Year and leave it at that.” Judith Crist

«Η ευτυχία είναι πάρα πολλά πράγματα αυτές τις μέρες για οποιονδήποτε να το ευχόμαστε σε κανέναν ελαφρά. Οπότε αςευχόμαστε o ένας τον αλλον μια νέα χρονιά με λιγότερη χολή και να το αφήσουμε έτσι”. Judith Crist

My Handmade Christmas Cards/Η Χειροποίητες Χριστουγεννιάτικες Kάρτες Μου
Stockings
Christmas Card
Candy cand card
Christmas card2

Last year I made some homemade Christmas cards that I sent out to friends. I didn’t post them on my blog-I forgot. This year I decided to make some new ones. I didn’t think that I would be very inspired but it just goes to show that if you just begin something then inspiration will come.  Two of them have trees on them that were made from bubble wrap which I then painted over with acrylics. The third card is a card collage made from bits of paper from a magazine that I used to make Christmas stockings. For the fourth card I recycled a gold paper wrap from chocolate and I used it to make the border.  I didn’t notice this until I put the card on the computer, but the candy cane has two Greek letter ‘X’ and ‘Ω’ the combination of the two letters makes the word ‘Ho’ !  Something that Santa says (and only Santa should say) , so I thought that was a crazy coincidence! Hmmm maybe this is a sign that Santa will bring me gifts this year…

Aghion Apostolon/Άγιον Απόστολον

These are few photographs that I took of the Byzantium Saint Apostles church. The ancient structure is located on the southeast side of the ancient Agora in Athens. It was built in the last quarter of the Byzantium period, and in its early days the church was mostly used for baptisms.  St. Apostles’ church is of great historical significance and is protected by the government. Today, the church operates as a museum and the only time it is used for religious ceremonies is on the 29-30 of June which is the day of the Synaxis (congregation) of the 12 Apostles.

Αυτές είναι μερικές φωτογραφίες που  έβγαλα από τη βυζαντινή εκκλησία των Αγίων Αποστόλων. Το αρχαίο οικοδόμημα βρίσκεται στη νοτιοανατολική πλευρά της Αρχαίας Αγοράς στην Αθήνα. Χτίστηκε κατά το τελευταίο τετάρτου της περιόδου του Βυζαντίου, και στις πρώτες ημέρες της, η εκκλησία χρησιμοποιείται κυρίως για βαπτίσεις.  Την εκκλησία του Αγίου Αποστόλων εχει μεγάλη ιστορική σημασία και προστατεύεται από την κυβέρνηση.  Σήμερα, η εκκλησία λειτουργεί ως μουσείο, και η μόνη φορά που χρησιμοποιείται για τις θρησκευτικές τελετές είναι στις 29-30 Ιουνίου που γιορτάζουν της Συνάξεως των 12 Αποστόλων

The church of the Saint Apostles/Ο ναός των Αγίων Αποστόλων
Ceiling art of the church
The Church Altar
Icon of a Saint
Icon of a Saint
Outside the church

 

Angelos’ New Adventures/Οι Nέες Περιπέτειες Του Άγγελου

Angelo is a Turkish Angora cat and he is growing so quickly. He is now five months old and he is so big! He was recently neutered and that was difficult seeing him go through so much pain, but after three days he bounced back..literally.  I love having him around. He’s very affectionate and respectful of guests and he doesn’t bite or scratch children even if they bother him.. Angelo and his siblings were abandoned by their mother in July. Someone had put them in a box and placed the box next to a garbage bin. It was a dog who discovered the abandoned kittens. The dogs’ barking got the attention of  a nice lady, who loves cats. She rescued the kittens and gave each one away to different families.  I wasn’t a huge lover of cats before I met him, but when you feed an animal with a bottle when it’s only two weeks old you will get very attached.

There’s My Prey!

Can you see me?

Do I have to pose again Angela?

How do I get down?

Ο Άγγελος είναι μια Τουρκική γάτα Αγκύρας και εχει μεγαλώσει πολυ γρήγορα. Είναι πέντε μηνών και είναι θηριο! Πρόσφατα τον ειχαμε στειρωσει και ήταν δύσκολο να τον βλεπω να υποφερει ετσι. Αλλά μετά από τρεις ημέρες αναπήδησε πίσω .. κυριολεκτικά. Είναι πολύ στοργικός και σέβεται των φιλοξενούμενων. Δεν δαγκώνει και δεν γρατσουναι τα παιδιά, ακόμη και αν τον ενοχλουν πολυ. Ο Άγγελος και τα αδέλφια του είχαν εγκαταλειφθεί από τη μητέρα τους τον Ιούλιο.Κάποιος τους είχε βάλει σε ένα κουτί και τοποθετήθηκαν το κουτί δίπλα σε ένα κάδο σκουπιδιών. Ήταν ένα σκυλί που ανακάλυψε τα εγκαταλελειμμένα γατάκια. Το γάβγισμα του σκύλου τραβηξε την προσοχή μιας κυρίας, που αγαπά τις γάτες. Διάσωσε τα γατάκια και τα έδωσεσε διαφορετικές οικογένειες.  Πριν γνώρισω τον Αγγελω δεν ήμουν πολυ λάτρης των γατών,  αλλά όταν ταΐζετε ένα ζώο με ένα μπουκάλι όταν αυτό είναι μόνο δύο εβδομάδων, θα  δεθεις πολύ.