Olive tree

Maria Ktistopoulou was born in Athens. She studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts under Triantafyllos Patraskidis, Martinos Gavathas and Marina Lambraki-Plaka. She has been honoured with three state scholarships from the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). Ktistopoulou graduated with honours in 1990. In 1991, she presented her diploma thesis titled “Diptych-Polyptych in Art”. She has also studied graphic arts at the Athens Technological Institute (ATI). Her work is included in the following collections: National Gallery, Athens – Kouvoutsakis Art Institute, Kifissia – Vorres Museum, Paiania – Rhodes Municipal Museum of Modern Greek Art – Agrinio Municipal Art Gallery – Florina Museum of Modern Art – Museum-Library Stratis Eleftheriadis/Tériade in Varia, Lesvos – Ermoupoli Municipal Art Gallery in Syros – Komotini Art Gallery – E. Averof Art Gallery in Metsovo – Christos & Sofia Moschandreou Contemporary Art Gallery in Messolonghi – Vlassis Frissiras Collection, Athens – Antonis and Azia Hatziioannou Collection, and various other private collections in Greece and abroad. She has put on 21 solo exhibitions.

She has taken part in more than 200 group shows in Greece and abroad. Ktistopoulou has also represented Greece at international biennales. A book titled Monografia on her work was released in 2007 by Adam Publishers. While continuing her painting, she also worked as creative art director for the international advertising network, Lowe Alector (1988-1999). She won first prize for the SOYA advertising campaign placement at the 4th Festival of Greek Advertising in Athens. She taught drawing and painting at the AKTO Art & Design School (1988-1994). She also helped prepare candidates for the Fine Arts schools in Athens and Thessaloniki at the Adrianos Sotiris Preparatory School (2000-2006).