Private Visit to the Residence-Studio of Panos Valsamakis

The pioneer of studio pottery in Greece was born in Aivali, Asia Minor, in 1900. He fought on the Asia Minor front and, following its collapse, found himself in Marseille, where he studied Fine Arts. It was there that he discovered ceramics. After completing his studies, he came to Athens and from 1929 to 1942 served as artistic director of the Kerameikos Ceramic Factory. He later joined the Lavrion Ceramics Company (AKEL), again as artistic director, where he remained until the late 1950s, when he moved to his own workshop in Marousi. The building that housed both the artist’s home and studio is where he lived and created during the final decades of his life.

Today, in the workshop-home designed in 1960 by architect Michalis Orros, almost all of the original functions remain intact. The ground floor accommodates the workshop, an exhibition area, the shop, as well as a small office. Upstairs are the bedrooms, kitchen, and living room. Ceramic works adorn the interior doors, while display cases and walls are filled with ceramics from all phases of his artistic production.

The guided tour was conducted by the Valsamakis family.