This painting series is inspired by my mother's childhood home, a remote village on the island of Evvoia, Greece, called Strofilia. My family’s village is not the white-and-blue, seaside paradise that many imagine a Greek village to be. It is nestled in between two mountains, about a 20-minute drive from the nearest shoreline, and the word many people would use to describe it is rundown. Over the last few decades the village has experienced an exodus of young people, who seek work in cities and return only periodically. Those who are left maintain their homes and work the farmland well to keep the community alive and active, if not booming. The formerly white buildings are faded and stained — some are crumbling so much that they barely stand. And yet, it is a beautiful place with a rich community and unrivaled natural landscape. I hope that you may experience the nostalgia, idealism, and aesthetic qualities that define my perception of Strofilia, even in the face of isolation, abandonment, and deterioration.