Golfo Tsakumis is a multifaceted individual who embodies many roles including artist and nurturer.
My journey to the person and artist that I am today began upon my immigrating to a new country. I left a small, picturesque seaside village in Greece to begin a new life in Canada, on the majestic west coast. As a foreigner, I was forced to dig deep to find my courage, and my purpose every day. I needed to fight through my fears and homesickness. Today, I am a proud wife, mother, and grandmother, and this, as well as my roots in both my home countries, are my greatest inspirations, and greatest motivations, in creating art.
My initial foray onto the creative expression stage began in 1985 with my own floral boutique in Vancouver. The local community welcomed and supported me in my passion for making living art. While I loved my boutique, my personal fulfillment only truly emerged once I began painting. Through painting, I ended up helping myself nurture my own soul, and this process allowed the real me to emerge. Abstract painting, especially, makes me feel courageous and free. My past, present, and future come out from my heart onto my paintbrush and then onto my canvas. Connecting with others through art has been vital in my pursuit of happiness. I learn so much about myself, and I believe I have become a better version of myself because of these connections.
Over the last twenty years, I have experimented with a variety of painting mediums including acrylic, watercolour, and oil. I have studied from, and been mentored by, some well-known local artists to further home in on my artistic expression. I am a proud and active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since 2010. I continually challenge myself to expand my craft, educating myself in new, unexplored areas of painting whenever I can. I feel humbled and honoured by the international recognitions that I have received recently, and they help fuel my energy to continue learning, dreaming, and creating art. A month ago, my dream of showcasing my paintings in a solo exhibition became a reality, and I would say, this has, without a doubt, been the highlight of my career as an artist so far.
Today, I am grateful for every single one of my years, both the easy ones and the difficult ones, and I’m optimistic about the ones ahead. I feel unstoppable. I wholeheartedly believe that each person can find their courage-it is never too late. I am proof of that. I am a completely transformed person, having stepped outside of so many old comfort zones, and I finally trust my once-absent inner voice when it courageously says “GO FOR IT!
Connect with Golfo:
Website: https://www.golfoart.com/artist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golfoart_/
