Lisa Sotilis is famous around the world for her unique jewelry pieces chosen by the crème de la crème of the international jet set such as Her Majesty the Empress of Iran Farah Pahlavi, Her Majesty Queen Maria José of Belgium, the last Queen of Italy , Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy, Royal Princess Munira al Saud, Rudolf Nureyev, Andy Warhol, Margot Fontayn, Roland Petit and Zizi Jeanmere, Claudia Cardinale, Annie Girardot, Mimie Lay, Mitzi Newhouse, Madame Schlumberger and many other members of the jet-set.
Lisa’s first client was Salvador Dali, who before the official opening of his first exhibition at the Iolas Gallery in New York, bought for his wife Gala, two of Lisa’s great gold art creations. His second client was Giorgio de Chirico, who decided to surprise his wife Isabella Farr with Lisa’s large 24-carat gold and platinum necklace and 24-carat gold watch with a Cartier movement.
Sotilis’ achievements include an exclusive contract with Cartier, NY, in the 1970s, for the design and execution of the bezels of its famous timepieces.
All Lisa Sotilis jewelry is handcrafted, hand hammered and hand chiseled. Most of them are made of 24 karat gold. 24 karat gold? Yes. We all know that pure gold is too soft to wear without damaging it. But Lisa couldn’t resist its magic, warmth, and stunning elegance. With its characteristic technique, unique in the world, which consists of outlining the back of the jewel with 18 kt gold wire, your jewels become strong and durable enough to be worn every day. The profiling process is tedious, tedious and must be repeated many times, until the 24 kt gold foil and 18 kt wire become a homogeneous surface. Lisa says: It is a challenge to the laws of physics, as 24 karat gold melts earlier than 18 karat gold.. How Lisa is able to pull it off remains a secret to her artistic genius and proverbial tenacity.
The final product is simply fascinating.
Lisa Sotilis unique jewelry creations are completely handcrafted, hand hammered and sculpted from 24 karat gold, platinum or pure silver and, similar to ancient jewelry techniques, her jewelry is backed with precious metal alloys stronger to provide structural support to highly sculptural forms.
However, the miracle, mystery and genius of artistically fusing a pure and noble metal with an alloy of the same brilliance demonstrates the many talents of Lisa Sotilis.
Also in keeping with her antique / modern theme, Lisa sometimes features ancient carved stones, beads or relics and a myriad of gemstones often including one or a combination of the following; emeralds, rubies, sapphires, pearls, jade, amethyst, turquoise, coral or lapis lazuli.
Daniel Morris – art expert and collector
Biographical notes:
Lisa Sotils was born in Athens (Greece). She is descended from a heroic and aristocratic Greek family that has contributed considerably to the independence of the nation.
Sotilis studied art at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Milan, Italy.
At age 16, on the occasion of his solo exhibition at the Gian Ferrai Gallery in Milan, Italy, art critics and historians Luciano Budigna, Raffaele De Grada, Franco Russoli and Giorgio Kaîtrelian, as well as renowned artists, Renato Guttuso, Ennio Morlotti and Marcello Mascherini noticed his extraordinary talent.
Sotilis’ international debut took place at the Berlin Museum, where the renowned Professor Jannasch introduced the 18-year-old artist as a child prodigy. On that occasion Lisa met Alexander Iolas, the world’s leading art dealer, who immediately offered her an exclusive contract and introduced her to all of his top galleries in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Madrid, Geneva, Athens and Rome, and He placed it among the greats of the last century: Andy Warhol, René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Giorgio de Chirico, Jean Tinguely, Roberto Matta and others.
Salvatore Quasimodo, Nobel Prize in Literature (1959), in his book “Visti da Salvatore Quasimodo” (1969 edition) writes about Sotilis: “revelation of the influential power of the Greek myth”.
Lisa Sotilis was Giorgio de Chirico’s assistant, the only assistant for his large sculpture projects financed by the world-famous art dealer and collector, Alexander Iolas. She was the only one authorized by the Master of the metaphysical art movement to touch up her waxes before casting.
Sotilis is also dedicated to the technique of fresco painting. He won a competition to fresco the Chapel of Sant’Antonio da Padova in the San Giovanni Battista alla Creta Church, Milan, Italy.
One of Sotilis’ greatest achievements is the creation of a monumental work for posterity: the 6-meter (19.7-foot) high entrance door in solid bronze with side decorations in gold-plated laurel leaf motifs for the I Papandi Tou Kyriou (Reception of the Lord in the Temple) Greek Orthodox Church in Amman, Jordan.
Lisa Sotilis is a very prolific artist. His sculptures, paintings, jewelry, furniture and home decoration accessories are exhibited in museums and private collections around the world.
To view Lisa’s jewelry, click here: https://vimeo.com/59891857