Marianna Skartsari Art Gallery

What would you say, if someone told you that in a corner of our country, in a beautiful Peloponnesian town, you can see gathered the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece? Today, I invite you to take a stroll with me and let your soul be filled with blue, sand and sea. We will together go to Nafplio, walk along Miaouli Coast, and after capturing a satisfying view of Bourtzi, we will immerse ourselves in the old town and wander through its alleys. On Dimitriou Ypsilanti Street, we will encounter the "summer" I just mentioned you...
At number 12, there is a corner shop that from afar resembles a Cycladic island. You can make out a cluster of objects in blue and deep azure spread on a white background. As you approach, you distance yourself from Nafplio. You are transported to the Aegean or perhaps even the Ionian Sea. You are transported to where the Greek sea, pebbles, sandy beaches and volcanic shores exist. The starting point for this journey is a new gallery of unique artworks. The exhibits are all creations of Marianna. This new space is called Marianna Skartsari Art Gallery. There, you can simply get acquainted with some of this country's famous beaches, "purchase" some of them, and adapt them to a corner of your home or even order the artist to create the one you love, the one you long for, the one where you spent an unforgettable summer or a solitary winter.

Art... Greece... sea...
These are the three great loves of Marianna. A self-taught artist and creator of elegant objects that we all wish to have in our living spaces. She uses liquid glass as her main material. I have never encountered such exhibits in my life until now!
She sifts through photos of Greek beaches and captures them on serving trays, coasters, boards of various sizes and shapes. The liquid glass passes over them in such a way that you would think it freezes time. The creation crystallizes and preserves the final thought of the creator. Calm seas, sometimes foamy waves, volcanic lava, sunsets or blooming gardens. She crafts various decorative items that would find a place in our homes, guesthouses, dining spaces and anywhere else one could imagine.

Talent: a natural gift or an ability beyond the ordinary?
An inherent quality that someone possesses from birth. Perhaps it carries something beyond the common in the genetic code. How else could we explain the artistic nature of some individuals who, because of it, stand out from all of us "ordinary mortals"? Many of us have imagination, but it is not enough to capture the images of the mind in something tangible. These are the thoughts I have, as I discuss with the gallery owner about the technique of liquid glass. I inquire about the orders made by business owners, people like us who want to wake up and serve our coffee on a tray that reminds us that we live in the most beautiful country in the world—tourists or Greek immigrants, who want to take something from their homeland with them. Something to remind them every day, that they must return.
Marianna tells me, that since she was a child, she enjoyed crafting things with her hands. She tried to give shape to whatever her imagination created. Gradually, she developed her techniques and experimented with various forms of art. In the gallery, you will see some wonderful paintings that she herself has created, once again using her love for art, Greece and the sea as inspiration.
She did not have similar stimuli in her family environment. I am impressed and ask again, perhaps somewhat persistently. "My grandfather was an iconographer", she replies, "I don't know if that played a role or if it's a gene that is inherited. I always remember using my imagination and my hands. On the internet, you can find information about various techniques and then experiment, until you find what you love the most".
As I get to know her, as she explains the technique with liquid glass and shows me photos of sandy beaches transformed into her artworks, I can't help but think about how serene and sweet she appears, when talking about her art and exhibits. She tells me about her studio and I realize, that it serves as her sanctuary. Talent, gift, restless spirit, artistic vein or internal turmoil that needs some release…

Invitation - Challenge
I feel the need to offer to all of you, who are reading this article on this new, unique and very promising gallery, some ideas for free! I spent quite some time in Marianna's space, observing her works and mentally traveling. There, I learned about Sapienza, a heart-shaped islet opposite Methoni. She has captured it in her works and when I saw them, I thought it was one of the most original suggestions I could make to someone looking for a gift for a wedding or anniversary. Even to our best friend or our mother, we could offer such a special and symbolic gift. Or to anyone we wish to give our heart to -as in this gallery, you will find many works in such a shape and in various sizes! A heart flooded with the sea, covered by the transparent veil of liquid glass, created by a self-taught artist, whose guide is her love for art, Greece, and the sea...
I wish all of us to be in the mood to offer our hearts - and Marianna will make sure we do it in a unique way!


Did you know that?
Mariana Skartsari was born and raised in Athens. She studied photography, graphic design and web design and worked as an Art Executive at Vogue Hellas.
With inspiration from the Greek coastal paradise, artist Marianna Skartsari creates artworks filled with energy, inspired by real Greek beaches: Voidokilia, Perissa, Kamarí, Shipwreck Beach in Zakynthos, Andros, Elafonisos, and so many more, even up to Arvanitia of Nafplio. Most of her works are three-dimensional, painted with acrylic paints and liquid glass, on wood or canvas.
The artist's residence and studio are located in Paralio Astros of Kinouria (Prefecture of Arkadia, Peloponnese), another wonderful seaside town, an endless source of inspiration!
Her gallery has recently opened in Nafplio and now brings her works to the city's public, in addition to her online store, which you can explore on her website.
You can see all of Marianna's artworks in the online store of the famous Saatchi Art HERE


Operating Period
All year round

Opening Hours
Summertime: Every day, Monday through Sunday, from 17:30 to 23:30.
Wintertime: Friday 17:00 - 21:00 / Saturday and Sunday 11:00 - 20:00.