Diek Stemnitsas
– Roots –
3-day Workshop with Anastasia Kandaraki
June 2022
The Silver and Gold Smithery School of Stemnitsa invited ANAMMA and Anastasia Kandaraki for a 3-day workshop on Contemporary Jewelry. Anastasia eagerly accepted the invitation and had the honour to find herself in the land that has been a silver and gold-smithing & metallurgic hub ever since the post-Byzantine period, as well as among the students of the School in order to initiate them into contemporary jewelry.
A hands-on seminar based on the theme of “Roots”. Our roots and cultural heritage define our identity and lie at the heart of our lifestyle. They incorporate our language, our land, the environment we live in, the everyday objects that surround us, music, food, mythology, customs, traditions and more.
First, we draw inspiration and focus on the study and research of everyday objects that illustrate our roots. Then, we get familiar with a methodology and learn how observation and the pleasure of creation can serve as the key to give form to our ideas. Through creative exercises, which complement one another, we enhance the thought process and practice. We work both individually and in groups in order to encourage the exchange of opinions and viewpoints.
At the centre of the whole process is always jewelry, as it is in itself a communication means full of memory and essence – the most direct means to bring out all the aspects of the self and identity.
