Hand-Crafted Wonders of Santorini
A father and daughter duo take on the art world of the competitive Greek island.
A first view of Kalipso Art Gallery in Fira, Santorini.
It’s no shock to anyone who’s been to Santorini, or the town of any Greek island, for that matter, that the rows of souvenir shops and art galleries could stretch for miles.
Visitors are at no shortage for a place to find “Santorini” painted on an island-themed gift. With the bountiful nature of the lookalike goodies, it might seem hard to find anything truly authentic to the Greek culture and art of Santorini.
That is where Kalipso Art Gallery comes into play as possibly the number one game changer.
The outside welcome as a preview for what's to come in the gallery.
The gallery is names after Calypso, a nymph in Greek mythology and daughter of Titan Atlas. She allegedly lived on the island of Ogygia, where she detained Ithica’s Greek kind, Odysseus.
The gallery was founded nearly 40 years ago by the current owner’s father, who makes all of the red clay and schamotte ceramics himself. The pottery is glazed with enamel and hand brown glass, a signature style of Kalispo Art Gallery.
The daughter has taken over running the gallery, offering a variety of beautiful Santorini gifts for sale and a warm welcome, free of charge.
A signature piece from the artist behind Kalipso.
Not only is the art itself a sight to see, but the way its displayed throughout the gallery is what might initially draw in prospective visitors.
From the outside, you can get just a hint of what’s to come upon entry, featuring paintings and pottery alike. The gallery favors a style of hanging the handmade ceramics from the ceiling, which makes for a bit of a twist as opposed to enjoying regular pottery.
Each piece compliments the other beautifully, which is what makes the content of the art gallery cohesive and visually appealing.
A common trend of shades of blue may also be noted, as the owner will tell you that’s how her father got his start.
Shades of blue cover the handmade ceramics throughout the Art Gallery.
With his signature artistry now expanded to an array of glass souvenirs and clay pottery, Kalipso Art Gallery is definitely worth checking off on any tourist’s top spots to visit while in Santorini.
A wider look at the seemingly endless range of Earth-toned ceramics lining the entirety of the gallery.
The gallery can be reached on their Facebook page or by phone number, 2286 023993.
-C.M.