Tributes are being paid after the death of Greek Australian artist Alkis Astras whose works were collected by the likes of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and former PM Sir Robert Menzies.
Alkis passed away on Tuesday, October 1 in a Merrimac nursing home on the Gold Coast with his family by his side.
Although relatively unknown in Australia, he was renowned in his native Greece where he became the only artist to hold an exhibition at Mt Athos.
Alkis and his wife settled on the Gold Coast about 20 years ago after raising a family – children Oresti, Mariette and Critton – on the Sunshine Coast.
The family still has letters from Kennedy’s secretary, Menzies himself and the abbot of Mt Athos thanking Alkis for his paintings.
Alkis’ son Critton said his dad was “the last of the method artists.”
“He was an enigma in the art world, always looking where his next challenge would take him,” Critton added. “He told great stories about his lifetime adventures and loved his family dearly.”
Alkis’ nephew, Cratis Hippocrates, said his uncle was “an inspiration” for him and his brother John.
“We got educated and moved into journalism, academia and music and worked in locations around the world following his example of travel and work,” Cratis said.
“He and Athina owned several art galleries and he was a serious artist, with many sold-out exhibitions and a significant legacy collected by galleries in Australia, Greece and the US.”
Source: Gold Coast Bulletin.
