Keep it simple with a bunch of visions.
film photograph @konstantinoslefakis
Βατόμουρο / is the fruit raspberry in greek language and it is pronounced va · to · mou · ro.
The studio is a one-woman show- Elpida Zacharaki also known as El Vatomouro, a calligraphy artist and graphic designer, born in 1991 in Athens. She studied Art & Design in Akto College and graduated with a Bachelor of first class honors degree from Middlesex University. From the first year of school she was involved in typography and letters with a twist in handmade calligraphy techniques.
In 2014 she won the first prize at Athens Portfolio Night, which subsequently opened the door for her participation at Art Directors Club in New York. Upon her return from New York she began working as a graphic designer within the advertising industry taking on multiple projects for international clients. Alongside with her day job, in 2016 at the behest of her mentor and artist Irini Gonou, she started teaching calligraphy at multiple art spaces and festivals in Athens. On 2020 she decided to quit the office job and try her luck in materializing her long dream of becoming an independent artist. Since 2021 she holds a small studio in a full green and birds’ singing area of Athens.
Her work focuses on typo and calligraphy. She prefers to work with analog means: dip pens, brushes and markers are some of her choices. Besides working with digital design tools, Elpida believes that working with analogue means allows to capture the choreographic authenticity and the spontaneous representation of calligraphy of a unique moment in time on surfaces. She perceives letters as holly symbolic shapes and she studies all greek and medieval manuscripts from the 2nd century bc onwards, producing new letterforms based on them. For the past five years Elpida has been captivated by the concept of presenting calligraphy in bigger scales, such as walls and ground, utilizing holistic body movements. Through this practice she hopes to inspire people to perceive letters beyond the conventional expression means and create everlasting visual enlightenments.
CORE SERVICES
Original Artworks
Wedding Stationary
Live Event Activations
Personalization Calligraphy On Items
Custom Calligraphy & Lettering
Murals & Installations
Chalkboards & Menus
Hand Engraving
Logo Design
Key Visuals
Social Media Graphics
Event / Corporate Workshops
Posters & Flyers
Editorial & Book Design
Custom Titles
Apparel & Merchandise Design
PRESS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS
TUTOR EXPERIENCE
2016
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
2017
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Akrida Artspace, Athens
Uncial & Codex Sinaiticus Calligraphy Workshop at Akrida Artspace, Athens
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
2018
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Akrida Artspace, Athens
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Edding Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Xeirotextika, Athens
Edding Bullet Journal Workshop at Xeirotextika, Athens
Edding Watercolor Calligraphy Workshop at Xeirotextika, Athens
Kid’s Calligraphy Workshop at Tatoi Tennis Club, Athens
2019
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Tatoi Tennis Club, Athens
Kid’s Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Tatoi Tennis Club, Athens
Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Tatoi Tennis Club, Athens
Pentel Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Xeirotexnika, Athens
Pentel Bullet Journal Workshop at Xeirotexnika, Athens
Pentel Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Xeirotexnika, Volos
Pentel Brush Calligraphy Workshops at Symplegma Bookstore, Megara
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Advance Kid’s Calligraphy Workshop at Tatoi Tennis Club, Athens
Advance Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
Kid’s Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Parties2beremembered, Athens
2020
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
2021
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
2022
Various Scripts Calligraphy Workshop at Mikro Polutexneio, Athens
“ Basic Principals of Writing System’’, MIT Workshop, Athens
GRAPHIC DESIGN CV
2009
Graduate from School
2009-2012
Graphic Design Diploma, Akto College
2012-2013
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Middlesex University
2013
Freelance Graphic Designer at Holy
2 weeks fellow worker, BBDO
2014-2015
Junior Art Director at McCANN Erickson Athens
2016
Junior Art Director at IANOS Publication House
2016+
Calligraphy Tutor at Mikro Polytexneio
2017+
Event Calligraphy Artist
2017-2018
Art Director at White Advertising
2019-2020
Art Director at Notos Com
2021+
Independent Calligraphy Artist at Vatomouro Atelier
PARTICIPATIONS & EXHIBITIONS
2011
7ply Skate Festival, Exhibition
2012
7ply Skate Festival, Exhibition
2014
Polemical Notes, Workshop Tint Silkscreens, Synergastirion
Athens Zine Biblioteque, Fanzine, Tracing Sounds Workshop
Psomi, Ioanna Alexopoulou, Disseration Piece, Bakalo School
Silkscreen Workshop, Silk Bastards at Romantzo
2015
Young Lions, Participation
Calligraphy Workshop at Benaki Museum with artist Irini Gonou
Calligraphy Workshop at Graphic Stories Cyprus with artist Georgia Angelopoulos
2016
Calligraphy Workshop at Benaki Museum with artist Irini Gonou
Font design Lessons at Ornerakis School with font designer Irini Vlahou
Independent Artist at Comic Zine Festival Green Park
Independent Artist at Me penaki kai skapani Fanzine Festival, Benaki Museum
Independent Artist at 1st Applied Arts Festival, Orneraki School
Turn Here, Workshop, E.D.W
2017
Independent Artist at 2nd Applied Arts Festival, Ornerakis School
Independent Artist at ZineIt Festival, at ASKT (School of Fine Arts)
ICTVC Conference, Font Design Workshop, Thessaloniki
Surprise 8!, Group Exhibition at art gallery Artaz
2019
Letter Art, Group Exhibition at Petralona
Graphic Stories, Challenging the Perception, Cyprus
2020
Upgrading the city's public space, Municipality of Athens at Ermou Street
Upgrading the city's public space, Municipality of Athens at Fokionos Negri
2022
Mirror Game, Group Exhibition at art gallery Tag project
Ozon Mag, Urban Lovers Group Live Exhibition at Metaphor Gallery
2023
Meseoniko/Giaponeziko, Group Exhibition at Akrida Artspace
Ozon Mag, Urban Lovers Group Live Exhibition at Metaphor Gallery
PROUD OF
2010
N4 Japanese Language Diploma
2013
Bachelor of Arts First Class Honors in Graphic Design
2014
Art Directors Club Portfolio Night, All Star Athens, New York
Book Cover Prize, grDesign Magazine New Designers Competition
2016
Best Greek Covers for 2016, PopCode
LIVE EVENT EXPERIENCE
2016
COSMOTE TV (Cosmote History Channel)
Ο Κόσμος των Ελλήνων - Επεισόδιο Σάμος - Μίλητος
Σενάριο / Σκηνοθεσία: Tokomburu
Παραγωγή: Stefi & Lynx Productions
Moet, Museum of Cycladic Art - Amvyx
2017
Martini - Amvyx
Grey Goose - Amvyx
2018
Martini - Amvyx
X-mas Cards - Tatoi Tennis Club
X-mas Cards - Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
2020
J' adore Engraving - Dior
2021
Bombay Sapphire - Promoshoot
Miss Dior Engraving - Dior
X-mas Engraving - Tatoi Tennis Club
2022
Dior - Live Engraving
Bombay Sapphire - Promoshoot
Mr. Zebra - Live Name tags & Xmas Balls
Killian Paris, Live Engraving
L'Occitane, Live Engraving
Acqua di Parma, Live Engraving
Viktor & Rolf, Live Engraving
Attica Department, Live Engraving & Painting
2023
Dior - Live Engraving on glass
Monclear - Live Calligraphy on glass
Diptyque - Live Engraving on glass
L’oreal - Live Mural Painting
Garnier - Live Calligraphy Painting on Panama Hats
Bombay Sapphire - Promoshoot, Live calligraphy On bottle Holders
Acqua di Parma, Live Engraving on glass
Attica Department, Live Engraving & Painting on various material