Biography: Evmorphia Stratis
Evmorphia Stratis was born and raised in Everett, MA, one of four children in a proud Greek-American family. Artistically gifted, her parents and siblings are all talented photographers, dancers, writers, and filmmakers and it was in this supportive atmosphere that Evmorphia nurtured her burgeoning love of painting. Although she has been painting her entire life, it was not until Greek immigration officials listed her occupation as "Zwgrafos" which means "Painter" that the reality of her profession really sunk in. For Evmorphia Stratis, painting is not only the way she makes her living, it is a reason for living itself, and continues to motivate her as she takes on new students, expands her business and grows as an artist.
While attending school in Boston (MassArt) and finishing her Bachelor of Arts degree in San Francisco (San Francisco State University), Evmorphia honed her skills, producing some of her most important studies in portraiture, which include those of friends, family and many self-portraits. Although it was not easy to finish her education, work and create, Evmorphia maintained her commitment to remain true to herself by pursuing her painting. By the end of her years in San Francisco, Evmorphia had made a personal promise to only work in the creative arts.
Life changed dramatically for Evmorphia in 1988, when she decided to pursue the lifelong dream of spending a summer in Greece. With the intention of staying just a few months, she remained eight years, ultimately gaining dual U.S.-Greek citizenship. Finding herself in Plaka, the ancient marketplace of Athens at the foot of the Acropolis, Evmorphia learned Greek and taught painting to support herself. "Greece is full of color and my first paintings here reflected this. As time went on, however, I began to paint some of the most tragic aspects of the human condition. This resulted in my dark pastel series which are among my favorite pieces of work."
Four years later, Evmorphia took the opportunity to move to Rhodes, one of the most beautiful islands in Greece. Here she established "Evmorphia's Atelier," a private school where she taught visual arts to people of all ages; and while her business flourished, so did her painting. "Here, I started to bring more color back into my work. The Aegean Sea, the aromas of flowers and earth, the sounds of island music, the dancing, the food and the people were a constant source of inspiration." The influence of the Greek landscape and culture is prevalent in her work from this period.
Despite the beauty of Rhodes, a desire to be closer to her family brought Evmorphia
back to the U.S. in 1996. Seeking to mirror her successes in Greece, Evmorphia
has established another private school, "Evmorphia's Studio," in the
traditional artist enclave of Brookline Village, MA, where she both paints and
teaches. In 1997, the opportunity to work with her brother on his independent
"mockumentary" musical "Could Be Worse!" enticed Evmorphia
to act and sing, portraying herself, and ultimately accompany the film to its
premiere at the Sundance 2000 Film Festival. With unflagging energy, Evmorphia
also took up the challenge of developing an art department for a Boston Public
Charter High School where she taught for 2 years. Currently, Evmorphia is working
on several new themes including a series inspired by nature, as well as exploring
bigger canvasses and different techniques.