STORMY DAY Painting

Stavros Kotsiréas was born in Athens in 1960. His family emigrated to Brisbane Australia in 1963 where he spent his early childhood; returning to Greece in 1968. Age thirteen Kotsiréas began his involvement in athletics (track & field 400 & 800m events), competing in championship level for sixteen years 1973-1989. Kotsiréas was selected in 1980 to be part of the 'Olympic flame' team as a torchbearer for the Moscow Olympics. In 1980 Kotsiréas started a two-year apprenticeship with Vasilis Fotopoulos (stage and costume designer, painter and Oscar prize winner for the set and costume design for the film ‘‘Zorba the Greek,’’) who also became his mentor. Kotsiréas first stage design experience with Fotopoulos was in 1980 when he assisted him in the set design for the theatrical plays “The White Wedding” and “Emigrates” at the Art Theatre of Karolos Koun, both plays directed by Giorgos Lazanis. In 2012 he collaborated with Vladimiros Kiriakidis and Efi Mouriki, creating the set designs for the plays “Extremities and Mnimonio-akrotites” In 1984 Kotsiréas began six years of study (1984-1990) at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, The Netherlands. There the artist specialised in Painting, Drawing and Graphic Art and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Set and Costume Design. Stavros Kotsiréas has presented his work in 36 solo and 78 group exhibitions and his work can be found in many private, public and corporate collections. Since 1993 the artist lives and works in the United Kingdom. Recently Kotsiréas has collaborated with the Greek-based art foundry, V&P. Tassis, to cast and produce his sculptural work in bronze. Since 2016 he has become the artistic director of the art foundry.