On the idea of worlds.
My work is archaic. Still and silent. Full of mistakes, accidents, faults.
Full of possibilities. Wide in travelling, deep in dive and breath.
Pieces will often speak a story. or hum a song or resonate a string.
Made of this earth by this earth, yet destined to travel in time and space.
Broken yet strong.
Handled with care, a faded memory belongs to everything and everyone.
Protóleo represents the three-dimensional functional art, modern sculptures,
and unique artifacts of Greek designer and creator Demetrios Tzavaras.
Influenced by ancient Aegean art, minimalism, modernism, and brutalism,
these unrepeated, handmade objects, emerge as primitive wood sculptures and raw clay forms.
The collection utilizes found wood, wild-sourced clay, commercial clay, stone,
Greek marble, silver, and paper.
Moving beyond traditional decorative art into the realm of the functional,
the collection spans from everyday household items to unique,
handcrafted jewelry pieces.
Throughout the work, pure geometric forms
beautifully emerge from these primal materials.
and unique artifacts of Greek designer and creator Demetrios Tzavaras.
Influenced by ancient Aegean art, minimalism, modernism, and brutalism,
these unrepeated, handmade objects, emerge as primitive wood sculptures and raw clay forms.
The collection utilizes found wood, wild-sourced clay, commercial clay, stone,
Greek marble, silver, and paper.
Moving beyond traditional decorative art into the realm of the functional,
the collection spans from everyday household items to unique,
handcrafted jewelry pieces.
Throughout the work, pure geometric forms
beautifully emerge from these primal materials.
I’ve been a Visual Commucication & Branding Designer for more than 25 years.
In those years all of my work is either in digital form or in two dimensions on a paper, or other product form.
Although, I have always incoporated hand working in my professional field,
the past decade I felt a strong yearning to use my hands more
and create meaningful items that are bound by no client or market and exist in the three dimensional “real” world.
Here is the work I make with my hands.
In those years all of my work is either in digital form or in two dimensions on a paper, or other product form.
Although, I have always incoporated hand working in my professional field,
the past decade I felt a strong yearning to use my hands more
and create meaningful items that are bound by no client or market and exist in the three dimensional “real” world.
Here is the work I make with my hands.
Fallen wood, is gathered mainly from the Peloponnese region of Greece, the outskirts of Athens and/or many times it is found as drift wood in beaches.
Wild clay is gathered from various parts of Greece from the mainlands, mountainous regions or near the sea or other fresh water sources.
Paper and other construction materials exist in abundance in urban enviroments as waste.
Wood forms take its basic form with a chainsaw and axes and then hand worked by simple scarpels and knives.
Clay is worked without a wheel by hand, often mixed with various naturals organic elements or different soils and minerals then fired in fireplace or pit fire or outsourced kilns.
Paper and structural or construction materials is found as waste and reinvented in various combinations and purposes-objects.
As each piece of wood, each batch of clay, and newly formed materials are unique, so each piece is unique and unrepeated.
Mind-eye-hand (and vice versa) coordination perform on the material of each piece in a meditative experiential state.
Mistakes are unavoidable and embraced. They reveal patience, acceptance, beauty, uniqueness, impermanence.
A study in nature, natural and other materials and reusability.
A study on forms and shapes.
A study to what it means to be human and to create, struggle, enjoy and pass through time and space.
Wild clay is gathered from various parts of Greece from the mainlands, mountainous regions or near the sea or other fresh water sources.
Paper and other construction materials exist in abundance in urban enviroments as waste.
Wood forms take its basic form with a chainsaw and axes and then hand worked by simple scarpels and knives.
Clay is worked without a wheel by hand, often mixed with various naturals organic elements or different soils and minerals then fired in fireplace or pit fire or outsourced kilns.
Paper and structural or construction materials is found as waste and reinvented in various combinations and purposes-objects.
As each piece of wood, each batch of clay, and newly formed materials are unique, so each piece is unique and unrepeated.
Mind-eye-hand (and vice versa) coordination perform on the material of each piece in a meditative experiential state.
Mistakes are unavoidable and embraced. They reveal patience, acceptance, beauty, uniqueness, impermanence.
A study in nature, natural and other materials and reusability.
A study on forms and shapes.
A study to what it means to be human and to create, struggle, enjoy and pass through time and space.
Demetrios Tzavaras,
Athens, Greece.
Athens, Greece.

37°26'05.4"N 22°31'57.2"E
“Inspiration Site”





Disclaimer
- All wood items are finished with multiple layers of a natural mixture of organic beeswax and extra virgin olive oil. They are sold as unique, handmade, usable artefacts rather than mass-produced or industrially manufactured products.
- Visible imperfections, tool marks, variations, rough surfaces and natural textures are inherent to the character of each piece and reflect the handmade processes, materials and tools used in its creation. These are not considered defects, but part of the individuality of each work.
-Unless expressly stated otherwise in the individual product description, all ceramic and clay objects are unglazed.
- Although many of the artistic objects may be functional and suitable for everyday use, they are conceived and produced as unique handmade artefacts and are not manufactured or certified to industrial product standards or regulations. Their use should therefore be understood within the context of their artistic and handmade nature.
- All pieces are handmade and carry the signature of their creator, Demetrios Tzavaras, represented by the mark “ΔΤ”.