Today we took the day off of book studies and headed to Monroe Center to meet George Nick Kapotas! George carved the angel in the picture...2 actually...and has them posted at either side of his winding driveway. They are about 7 feet tall. George was born in 1933 in Patras Greece. He has a very thick Greek accent and his heart is still in his beloved Greece.
George knows how to make a lady feel like a lady. He kisses your hand and tells you how beautiful you are. He picks out something about your face and with all the dramatic flare a Greek accent can carry, he tells you "what a beeeautiful smile you have. It could light a thousand candles, that beautiful smile of yours!!!" He grabs your face in his hands and kisses your cheek. He LOVES children....
"Come to me, little ones, and tell me your names."..... "ZACHARY!!!...that name is Greek! It has deep Greek roots. You have an important name Zacharias!"...."Charlotte!! Your face is beautiful. Come let me touch it!" This man is one of a kind. He was so sweet. I do believe he had a favorite though.....
I do believe he had a crush on my mother. I am pondering what I can get out of her with a promise of not showing this picture to my father! LOL My mother soon sang a different tune than the one she had been singing, which was "old letch!"....she saw a photo of George "in the day".....
Look closely...that man was gorgeous. Charlotte told her Daddy at dinner tonight, "Grandma thought Mr. George was a hunk!" I was cracking up. Now George is harmless and has a heart so pure he would not know what to do if propositioned...I am thinking Grandma is the letch!
This man has a talent...at age 7 he told his father while walking along the sea in his beloved Patras, "When I grow up I am going to be a sculptor and I am going to sculpt the Life of Christ." This dream only grew with George. Though he never took any formal training, he did become a sculptor. Let me share some of his work with you. This is called "7 Bears". It is carved out of one solid tree trunk. In fact, all of George's pieces are made of one solid piece of wood. No nails or glue!
This fountain in front of George's 10,000 square foot home, was carved from stone, by George's own hands. The detail on the dolphins is incredible in person.
George owns 7 acres with this house and has his workshop right next door.
There is a gift shop between the two, but first I want to show you the Chapel that George built carving the pillars out of stone himself.
There are over 5000 bricks laid all by George throughout the displays, creating the most wonderful walkway. You can see them in the picture of the chapel. When you walk inside it is like walking into a small little church in a little Greek town. George's handiwork is everywhere.
The pews, the cobblestone flooring and each of the 10 Commandments carved and hanging on the wall. The stain glass is gorgeous. 
The front of the church has some beautiful details.
Look at this hand carved (by George, of course) pulpit. It really is breathtaking in person...all of it.
This is another of George's carvings. It is hanging above the front of the Chapel.
This framed work of art is the Lord's Prayer cut out of paper. Very detailed.
Just to the far left, outside the chapel, is a 7 foot carving of Moses and the 10 Commandments. It was one of George's first pieces in the huge display he has created.
Other carvings up closer to George's home are this 6 foot face of Christ...
....and the menagerie of animals...the detail does not show up, but it is amazing.
Back to the gift shop....I told the kids, "Maybe we will get something as a souvenir." Not hardly...these benches are $5000.00! Worth every penny, but I can only wish...
Look at this Eagle....I put Zach in the picture so you could see the size of those wings! This was $5000.00 also!
The chairs were only $1500.00.
The kids also made friends with George's dogs. They were identical, so you could not tell them apart, and were both extremely friendly!
Now remember how a 7 year old George promised to recreate "The Life of Christ" in sculptures? Well, he did it, and did it beautifully. Too much for one post, so I will be back tomorrow to share it with you. Be ready to be amazed!!!!
The sign reads,
This fountain in front of George's 10,000 square foot home, was carved from stone, by George's own hands. The detail on the dolphins is incredible in person.George owns 7 acres with this house and has his workshop right next door.There is a gift shop between the two, but first I want to show you the Chapel that George built carving the pillars out of stone himself.There are over 5000 bricks laid all by George throughout the displays, creating the most wonderful walkway. You can see them in the picture of the chapel. When you walk inside it is like walking into a small little church in a little Greek town. George's handiwork is everywhere.The pews, the cobblestone flooring and each of the 10 Commandments carved and hanging on the wall. The stain glass is gorgeous. The front of the church has some beautiful details.Look at this hand carved (by George, of course) pulpit. It really is breathtaking in person...all of it.This is another of George's carvings. It is hanging above the front of the Chapel.This framed work of art is the Lord's Prayer cut out of paper. Very detailed.Just to the far left, outside the chapel, is a 7 foot carving of Moses and the 10 Commandments. It was one of George's first pieces in the huge display he has created.Other carvings up closer to George's home are this 6 foot face of Christ.......and the menagerie of animals...the detail does not show up, but it is amazing.Back to the gift shop....I told the kids, "Maybe we will get something as a souvenir." Not hardly...these benches are $5000.00! Worth every penny, but I can only wish...Look at this Eagle....I put Zach in the picture so you could see the size of those wings! This was $5000.00 also!The chairs were only $1500.00.The kids also made friends with George's dogs. They were identical, so you could not tell them apart, and were both extremely friendly!Now remember how a 7 year old George promised to recreate "The Life of Christ" in sculptures? Well, he did it, and did it beautifully. Too much for one post, so I will be back tomorrow to share it with you. Be ready to be amazed!!!!The sign reads, "GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS"
John 15:13
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2 comments:
Oh Bren, How awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing these pics. I will look forward to the sequel. ;)
What a lovely field trip!! The wood carvings are incredible!
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