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There are more than 300 jewellery stores in Corfu. Everyone and their grandmother seems to have the urge to open one. But some do actually design and make jewellery to a very fine standard. The prince of these is Nikos Michalopoulos, a native of the island where he studied at the School of Fine Art and served as an apprentice. That was a few years ago. Since then his works have featured in exhibitions in Athens, Thessaloniki, Bristol and The Cavalry Club in London's Piccadilly.
His talent for designing pieces of jewellery and sculptures of rare beauty and with unique style has been recognised around the world. He draws his inspiration from the sea, the winds, conversation and feeling. His studio is at the back of his shop tucked away in the oldest part of Corfu Town. Go there if you would like to own or give as a present something truly special or contact him on
+30 26610 31107.
Featured below next to his bronze memorial to the members of the Greek Resistance who fought the Nazis during the Second World War, George Megoulas is probably the finest living Greek sculptor, whose works can be compared to those of Rodin and Henry Moore. Corfu is proud and privileged to have him as one of its community. Indeed his distinguished family have resided on the island since the 17th century when one of their ancestors was a cavalry officer in the army of the Venetian Admiral Francesco Morosini who defeated the Turks in a number of battles and went on to become Doge of Venice.
George's artistic talents were recognised by teachers at his school in Athens who persuaded his parents to send him, at the age of 17, to study at the University of Fine Arts in Paris. After completing a four year course, he was awarded the top diploma by the Jury of the Academy. He was then taken on by Unesco as one of a team responsible for the supervision of the restoration of statues, monuments and buildings around Europe. He continued to develop and indulge his passion for sculpting driven by the urge to create avant garde images and effects. In 1981, aged 26, he won a competition for the design and making of a large monument to be set in the centre of a small town just south of Athens. This became the first of many large scale monuments and statues placed in towns and cities mainly in Greece with 14 in Athens alone and some as far away as Chicago. The total number of similar creations is currently 82 but smaller works can be found in museums and private collections. One of his ambitions now is to be asked to make a bust of Prince Philip of England who was born in Corfu not so long ago.
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