AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE EVERYDAY LIFE

The Artist House’ story origins around the mystic valleys and unknown villages of the beautiful island Tinos. Settled in the very heart of Tinos’ Trinataros village, the construction of the Artist House dates far back into the 15th century. However, the exact date of its construction remains unknown.

The first time we fell in love with the Artist House has been in the late 1970s. Back then, Triantaros had the reputation of being not only the smallest, but also one of the poorest village around Tinos. Therefore former Triantaros major Kostas Zarpas started to reach out for new inhabitants. Since time has been passing by and many people already had been leaving the island for new fortunes elsewhere, Zarpas decided to fully revive his village. Many houses were abandoned. His idea was simple: Awaiting arriving tourists by standing at the harbor and inviting them to his village.

While Tinos town, the area around the main harbor, was already flourished with pilgrims and foreign tourists, the villages remained undetected around the valleys and mountains of the island, hidden by farmland, moreover isolated due to a lack of proper roads.

His plan worked. Visitors started to fall in love with the hidden villages and for Tinos a new era began. But change always includes challenges as well as difficulties; especially when conserving the culture becomes a desire.

And since Triantaros is more than 350 meters above sea level every ingredient had to be (and still has to be) carried up all the stairs. Every single stone was carefully selected for instance to set the fundaments for every building. Their choices weren’t random at all. Large, long stones were used as window sills or ceiling slabs. The stone next to the entrance has been set as a shelf to prevent the cats from reaching milk jugs. Stone by stone meant purpose for purpose. Whether as a place for an oil lamp to enlighten tables or as additional storage room for firewood when intense winters were about to come.