The Woodturner of Kefalonia

Woodturning is an ancient art which is thought to date back to 1300 B.C. when Egyptians first developed a two-person lathe. In recent years the craft has seen an explosion in popularity around the world, with many taking this skill as a hobby.

Kefalonia is a beautiful and mostly unspoilt Greek island nestling in the Ionian Sea, situated to the west of the Greek mainland and south of Italy. It has seen influences from many cultures throughout its turbulent history as well as having to endure all that nature can throw at it, which includes severe earthquakes and recently a cyclone, better known as Medicane Ianos.

The Woodturner of Kefalonia is a gentle autobiographical account of Kostas Annikas Deftereos, who in ten years has mastered the art and become something of an ambassador for woodturning throughout Greece with his social media accounts and attendance at exhibitions and shows. He was born and raised on the island of Kefalonia with humble beginnings as a street artist. Like most artists he has little time for money and has resisted pressures to find financial security, instead staying where his heart is and drawing inspiration for his creativeness from all that the island has to give. Kostas states that, ‘without Kefalonia, it’s not woodturning for me’. Kostas talks candidly about his work and experience as a self-taught woodturner as we watch him create from scratch his most popular piece, the “evil eye” platter which is prepared entirely on the lathe in his rustic but very functional workshop in the town of Sami. Kostas talks from a little known cave close to his house and the beautiful scenery, ancient ruins and monastery are all local places he visits on his motorbike as part of the creative process. Finally we travel with Kostas to Kuchl in Austria, where he presents at his first and to date only, exhibition outside of Greece.