By Cynthia Unninayar

In 776 BC, the Olympic Games enjoyed their beginnings in ancient Olympia, as part of a religious festival in honour of the Greek god Zeus. Many centuries later, an artist and jewellery designer from modern Athens was chosen to redesign the Olympic medal. But her other remarkable creations would also make Zeus very proud.

Elena Votsi is not only proud of the Olympic Games, but also takes pride in her country’s ancient past. “If you live in Athens, you walk on ancient streets. You see ancient sculptures. The Acropolis, for example, reminds us that we have a great archaeological heritage,” muses this award-winning jewellery designer.

Pride in this heritage is one of the inspirations for her jewellery designs, many of which are sold in the gift shops of such august institutions as the Acropolis Museum, Benaki Museum, the National Gallery-Alexandros Soutzos Museum, and the Cycladic Art Goulandris Museum, among others.

But this trained artist and painter turned jewellery designer doesn’t just look to the past for ideas. “Sometimes, it comes from a picture, a movement, a feeling, a shape, the way the light hits an object in the morning sun, or even contemplating the universe,” explains Elena. Thinking about the heavens was certainly a source of inspiration for her award-winning golden spiral ring that won last year’s Couture Design Award in the “Best in the New-to-Couture” category for designers who exhibited for the first time at the prestigious Las Vegas show. “The spiral represents the life-giving elements of water and sunlight while the motion evoked by the 266 brilliants captures the unstoppable expansion of the cosmos,” she adds.

On a more earthly level, Elena Votsi has taken part in major design exhibitions around the world with hand-made pieces that range from angular geometric shapes to voluminous spheres to colourful diamond, gemstone, and South Sea pearl pieces, all set in 18K gold. The men have not been left out either as can be seen in her collection of colourful cufflinks. Her design talents have also been recognized by some of the world’s most prominent fashion brands, among them Gucci where she worked for three years. Currently, her artistic creations are being sold in galleries and shops in Greece, of course, but her designs are attracting more and more attention in the USA, which is fast becoming her major market as more and more new stores welcome her high quality artistic designs; designs that reflect history, luxury and art; designs that are truly Olympic Gold.

www.elenavotsi.com