Biography and artistic statement
Konstantinos Glymenakis was born in Anopolis, a small town of the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. Interested in art at a young age, he managed to be accepted into a theological school where tuition was granted to its top twenty students. At this school where he spent seven years studying theology, he had the good fortune of meeting a very gifted artist and teacher who thought art was a great subject to pursue with his students. He was taught meticulously the basics of shape, shade and colour. It was also there that he was shown different mediums such as pencil, charcoal, watercolour, pastel and oil. Landscapes became his favorite subject, oil his medium.
When he arrived in Montreal, in 1964, he found that unfortunately art could not sustain him. So he worked at a variety of jobs from night watchman to dishwasher. He eventually settled in a textile company where he remained until he retired as warehouse manager in 1996. In the years in between he had to content himself with pencil and ink, as time and money were tight and family obligations had priority.
Upon retiring he could go back to oil paint and brush and the great joy of painting the landscapes that his imagination never failed to inspire him. In 2000 the artist started to explore with both watercolour and acrylic paints, two mediums that satisfy his quick and almost insatiable need to produce works of art. In 2001 he joined the Arts Club of Montreal. There he found for the first time people who understood his passion. Validation of his talent quickly followed as he participated in many group and juried shows. He also started to teach small groups at the Arts Club in the medium of oil and watercolour.
Konstantinos Glymenakis paints in complete freedom with no concern for commercial appeal. Painting for the pure joy of creating offers the art lover a glimpse of the wit and creativity of the artist. Inspiration flows from mind to fingers to the eventual canvas for all to enjoy.
Exhibitions
May 25, 2013 - Hellenic Community Centre, Group Show
June 2009 - Gallery Arte Bella, the Arts Club, Jury Show
(Judged by the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts)
December 2008 - Michel Angelo Centre, the Arts Club, Group Show
August/Sept 2008 - Adagio, the Arts Club, Group Show
August 2008 - Hellenic Community Centre, Group Show
May 8-22, 2008 - Avenue Art Gallery, the Arts Club, Juried Show
December 2007 - Gallerie Donati, the Arts Club, small format
September 2007 - The Arts Club, Fall Group Show
June 2007 - The Arts Club, Theme “Model/Still” Life Group Show
May 2007 - The Arts Club, Theme Abstracts Group Show
(Honoured with certificate for – the public’s choice)
April 2007 - The Arts Club, Group Show
March 14-17, 2007 - Solo Show (showcase 77 paintings)
March 2007 - The Arts Club, Group Show
February 2007 - The Arts Club, Theme “Music” Show
December 2006 - The Arts Club, Group Show
November 2006 - The Arts Club, Fall Show
October 2006 - The Arts Club, Theme “Boats” Group Show
September 2006 - The Arts Club, Theme “Flowers” Group Show
August 2006 - The Arts Club, Group Show
- Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal,
“The Hellenic Flame” at the old port Montreal
July 2006 - The Arts Club, Summer Group Show
- Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal,
“Parc Lafontaine” Group Show
June 2006 - The Arts Club, Theme “Abstract” Group Show
May 2006 - The Arts Club, Theme “Cats / Dogs” Group Show
April 2006 - The Arts Club, Juried Group Show
March 2006 - The Arts Club, Theme “Flowers / Landscapes”
Group Show
February 2006 - the Arts Club, Theme “Erotica” Group Show
December 2005 - Hellenic Community Centre Group Show
- The Arts Club, Theme “Small Format” Group Show
November 2005 - The Arts Club, Fall Group Show
August 2005 - The Arts Club, Summer Group Show
July 2005 - Hellenic Community at the old port Montreal
- The Arts Club, Group Show
June 2005 - The Arts Club, Group Show
May 2005 - The Arts Club, Group Show
April 2005 - the Arts Club, Theme “Nature” Group Show
- the Arts Club, Juried Group Show
March 2005 - the Arts Club, “Group of 3” Show
- Hellenic Community Group Show
February 2005 - the Arts Club, Themed Winter Group Show
January 2005 - the Arts Club, Group Show
- Hellenic Community Centre, 2 artists show
April 20, 2004 - The Arts Club, Theme Show: Drawings & Sculptures
April 15, 2004 - Avenue Art Gallerie, Featured Artist
March 2004 - The Arts Club, Themed Shows:
Abstract Paintings & Spring Jury Show
February 2004 - The Arts Club, Theme - Flowers
December 2003 - The Arts Club, Theme - Small Format
September 2003 - The Arts Club, Fall Show
June 2003 - The Arts Club, Theme Show “Earth Day”
May 2003 - Gallerie Le Canal, “Spring on the Canal” Show
March 2003 - The Arts Club, Spring Jury Show
December 2002 - Gallerie Le Canal, Theme “Small Format”
- The Arts Club, Theme “Small Format”
October 2002 - The Arts Club, Fall Show
September 2002 - Gallerie Le Canal, Theme Show “9/11”
May 2002 - Gallerie Le Canal, Solo Show
March 2002 - The Arts Club, Spring Jury Show
December 2001 - The Arts Club, Theme - Small Format
- Association Des Travailleurs Grecs Du Québec
Group Show - 4 artists
September 2001 - The Arts Club, Fall Show
Media:
The artist has been written about in the Suburban, for his participation in the Hellenic Communities – Hellenic Flame Event 2007
An article also appeared in the Magazine Découvrir – La Revue de la Recherche de L’ACFAS (volume 29, numéro 5/ Nov. /Déc. 2008, p. 50)
Private Collections:
There are also paintings of the artist in private collections scattered in various cities including Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, New York, New Hampshire, San Francisco and Hania (Greece) at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity Museum.
Community involvement
Besides his teaching at the Arts Club, the artist was also an art teacher for the Hellenic Community Centre 2010-2011. He taught both children and adults to find their passion for art.
He has donated his paintings to raise funds for:
The Royal Victoria Hospital 2003-2004
The Arts Club 2002-2006
Hellenic Community Centre 2002-2008
South Shore Benevolent Society Hellenic Community 2005-2006-2007
Hellenic Community – Socrates School 2005
