top of page
The Flow within. Understanding, connecting & expressing through water

The Flow within. Understanding, connecting & expressing through water

€500.00Price

The Flow Within: A Journey Through Water and Expression 14-21/6/2025

Imagine a world where every drop of water holds a story—a whispered memory of distant lands, ancient rains, and the oceans of forgotten eras. This world is not a fantasy. It is the one you already inhabit. Water, the silent witness to all life, flows through us, around us, and beyond us, shaping the rhythms of existence. It carries secrets, it reflects truths, and it connects everything it touches.

But what if water could do more than sustain life? What if it could reveal who you are, dissolve your boundaries, and mirror your hidden depths? What if you could harness its movement, its rhythm, its grace—not only to create but to transform?

In this experience, you will learn the language of water—not with your mind, but with your body, your breath, and your soul. You will dive into its mysteries, explore its emotions, and let it guide you in ways you never imagined. Through movement, mindfulness, and art, you will uncover how water flows not only through the earth but also through you.

The tools you need are simple: the rhythm of your breath, the freedom of your body, and the willingness to let go. Expect the unexpected. Surrender to the currents. And discover what lies beneath the surface.

This is not just a workshop. It’s an invitation to flow. Will you accept?

  • Who is the teacher

    Yanis Zagorianakos or YZagor is a self-taught craftsman and artist. He has a BSC in Industrial Chemistry and Design from The City University London, making him an artist with a highly developed scientific interest and an inquisitive approach.

     

    Born in Athens, he grew up between Athens, Johannesburg and London. He moved permanently to London at the age of 17, where he first studied and then worked as a Project scientist & designer carrying out research & innovation. After 15 years he moved back to Athens, gave up working as a scientist and started traveling to India, where by chance he got introduced to Arts & Crafts. For the next 10 years he regularly visited India and took seminars in various crafts and numerous workshops in painting in London and Athens while working as a full time artist/craftsman for the last 30 years. He now lives between the islands of Aegina & Amorgos where he works.

    Statement
    He has a broad interest in the materials he uses for his creations. He has worked with wood, metal, fabric, glass, and is always on the lookout for new materials and new combinations. In painting he works with watercolours, acrylics, oxidations, oil, collage… and almost anything he can put his hands on, which can fit the works.

    His basic sources of inspiration are: the subconscious, dreams, fantasy, memory, feelings, randomness, chaos, the microscopic and macroscopic…
    He likes working with pretty much everything: watercolors, acrylics, oils, oxidations, collage, fabric on canvas, pa
    per, metal, wood and basically mixed media. 

    He usually starts a painting with a very flexible idea, a memory or a feeling, and allow room for constructive randomness and chance. Always experimenting with different or altered perspectives, and more interested in the fragmented, deformed, out of focus way of perceiving and expressing “reality”. Concentrating more in the just before becoming or just after existing of what there is, more in feelings and emotion then shape or form.


    His scientific side has been engaged in an ongoing work in progress dealing with various theories around Cognitive Science and Psychology, Quantum Physics and Biology, String Theory, Holographic Theory, Space and Water. He ponders and researches on how these theories can be expressed from an artistic point of view.

    Inspiration is also drawn from the implications of these theories irrespective of whether they have been accepted by the science establishment. And, of course, from some very favorite artists, who have functioned as masters through their work and the heritage they have left.
    The aspect of randomness is hugely important in his work, and he encourages it. He looks for the accidents and what these can offer to the work. He values the process of creation almost as much, if not more, as the end result, which, in many ways is as ephemeral as the process itself. The artwork is the accumulation of all the experiences as they have been shaped, formed and finalised. That is how they exist in the given moment. Once finished, the piece belongs to the past.

    In his work but also in life he has failed many times for different reasons and that is what he considers his main source of education and inspiration.

    www.yzagor.co.uk

    Exhibitions:

    2004  Anemos Gallery, Athens 

    2007  Astrolavos Gallery, Athens 

    2008  Cats & Marbles Gallery, Athens 

    2009  Visages de l'Art, Thisisnotagallery, Athens 

    2010  Cultural Center of Amorgos

    2011   Booze Cooperativa, Athens 

    2012   M-Art Gallery, Athens 

    2018   Alexandra Solomou Gallery Aegina

    2019   Perdikiotika Bar/Restaurant Aegina

    2022   Proka Bar Aegina

    2022   Group show - Markellos Tower - Aegina

    2023   Group Show - Markellos Tower - Aegina

    2024   Group Show - Cultural Center of Patmos

  • Accommodation

    When booking this workshop as a Retreat, you get:

    1. Accommodation at the Grapevine House
    Stay in this old, unique and peaceful 19th century house, filled with history and material for inspiration.

    2. Your own space in a shared studio
    You will have your own space to work in a fully equipped, shared painting or ceramic studio.

    3. Culinary Delights
    Fuel your creativity with a complimentary breakfast at The Grapevine House, and savour authentic, greek flavours with a takeaway lunch from a traditional tavern, giving you the chance to explore local cuisine.

    4. Day Trip Excursions
    Venture beyond the retreat to explore the island's cultural and historical treasures. We will take you on a day trip to the Temple of Aphaia, an ancient marvel steeped in mythology, and Palaiochora, a hidden gem of historical significance. Immerse yourself in the beauty and stories of these magical locations. More excursions can be organised, depending on your specific interests.

    5. Sustainable surprise gift
    As a token of our commitment to sustainable and local tradition, you will receive a gift filled with locally produced delights - a tangible reminder of your creative journey in Aegina.

  • Workshop

    This 6 day workshop is open to everyone above 18 years old. No previous experience, knowledge or skill is necessary except the desire to be creative and paint.

    The workshop is limited to a small group of 1-6 participants at a time. It takes place in a bubble of safety and security within which we are free to express, learn and make all the mistakes we want. The bubble serves as an invisible protective layer keeping all kinds of judgement out while creating the necessary conditions for creativity to flow freely and unperturbed.

    During the week, you will be guided through theory sessions and practice on painting, breathing and optional water exercises and how to access your creativity, keep it flowing and expand it through understanding and connecting with water.

     

    A transformative week where you will find yourself in a creative environment with lots of room to relax, concentrate and explore.

     

    Available accommodation options include solo stays and shared accommodation for couples or a group of up to 4 friends at The Grapevine House, our own guest house. You can of course stay anywhere else you like.

    When booking this workshop as a Retreat, you will get: accommodation at The Grapevine House, your own space in a shared studio, culinary delights, day trip excursion(s) and a sustainable surprise gift.

     

     

  • The Grapevine House

    A few words on The Grapevine House

    The Grapevine House was built in the 19th century. It has a double bedroom with original painted ceiling and wooden floor, giving it a warm and nostalgic character. The living room, with its embedded wooden press, hints to the islands agricultural history and way of life. For additional space, there is a converted cellar, which serves as a second bedroom or study - you will have to duck to enter. The small kitchen and bathroom are later add-ons: in the old days, these spaces were separate and outside the house. Feel free to explore the house’s eclectic furniture, each piece telling its own story: lovingly restored items, painting, books and many personal objects from a life of travels... add our own personal touch, all the while preserving the house’s character and history.

    The story says that the house hosted Saint Nektarios of Aegina in the early 20th century, who visited its ailing owner. It is believed he was cured! Could this explain why the house has a calming effect, maybe even a spiritual atmosphere, which is enhanced by the regular sound of bells from the two monasteries surrounding the it?

    We invite you to embrace the beauty of this cozy and peaceful guest house, where every corner holds a piece of the past. Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of the courtyard and the land around it, lose your sense of time, let go and relax.

     

    The Grapevine house is a great choice for solo travellers, couples or small groups of friends willing to share.

bottom of page