Greece always fascinated my family. Myself I have been in Greece on several occasions, most recently on the islands of Crete (2008 and 2011) and  Samos (2005, 2007, 2009), in 1980 with the whole family and also directly after my high school graduation. Greece is one of the cradles of western civilization and invites with its beautiful landscapes and antique ruins to contemplate on our origins and to get the impressions of light on the paper.

Crete, 2008 and 2011

7 water color paintings were done in the southern part of Crete. On 2 occasions I stayed in Agia Galini, a small former fishing village. The landscape around Agia Galini looks rugged and most of the year the climate is arid. Each time it was spring. After unusual rainy days, we still discovered the beautiful Cretean wild flowers including wild tulips. Not far from Agia Galini is the archaeological site of the Palace of Festos.

All water color paintings, size 36x48 cm2.

Samos, 2005, 2007 and 2009

On three occasions, in the early summer of 2005 and 2007, I  had the chance to visit Samos and share some beautiful days with my parents vacationing there. It is a fabulous island with beautiful saturated colors. Maybe the impression is so strong for someone like me who lives in a very big city, in Osaka. The light and freshness of the colors have been just striking. We discovered many small charming chapels that were all situated  in very quiet places. Once sitting close to one of them, only the chirping of insects and birds could be heard.

All water color paintings, size 53x45 cm2 in 2005 and 42x32 cm2 in 2007.

Athens and Peloponnese, 1980

This was maybe the last of the long family vacations with all family members. We stayed in this small village Livadi on the east coast of the Peloponnese. From here we made many excursions, often to Melana, a small village in the mountains. It appeared to us that we were stepping into the past: at that time some families were still cooking outside on open fires, one could find donkeys and a seamingly peaceful world, very different from the loud tourist attractions around the Acropolis in Athens to which we also made a trip as to other historic sites.

First trip to Greece, 1978

After high school graduation I was touring Greece with a backpack, tent and sleeping bag. The picture of the Acropolis looks rather gray, maybe in anticipation of the hopelessly colorless 15 months of draft military service in the German Army (still Cold War).