George Politis
Biography
George Politis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1966. A self-taught artist, he exhibits extensively, with solo exhibitions in the UK, Greece, France and India and group exhibitions in countries including the USA, Austria, Italy, China, Canada and Australia. His work has received numerous awards and featured in international newspapers, art magazines and publications. He is a signature member of the American Watercolour Society, San Diego Watercolour Society and Arizona Watercolour Association. He served as President of the Artists’ Society of Northern Greece from 2009 to 2015 and is an organiser of the International Biennials of Watercolour in Thessaloniki. He is also a juror in international exhibitions and a workshop instructor.
Artist Statement
Time plays a fundamental role in George Politis’s paintings. He is fascinated by the way it leaves its mark on varied objects and on nature itself, finding both truth and excitement in the old, rusty and ravaged. He draws inspiration from ordinary and commonly overlooked items, responding to them with different feelings according to the subject, whether emphasising serenity, loneliness, atmosphere or melancholy.
Politis mainly works in watercolour and acrylics, occasionally using collage or pen and ink. He prefers heavy watercolour paper, usually rough or cold pressed, and develops his paintings through multiple layers to create texture and depth. He usually begins with sketches, sometimes making miniature versions before proceeding to the finished painting. His subjects range from architectural references to detailed close-up studies of miscellaneous items of machinery, particularly where the ravages of time have left their mark. Through the layering of watercolour, he creates depth of tone and intense texture, capturing a moment in time while emphasising the feelings that it evokes.