Tassos Vardopoulos’ work is included in the research carried out by Mr. Tadahisha Tahashi, research member of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan which is subdized by the Imperial House and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science under the general topic “Transformation of the Craftsmen in Balkans”.
…In Athens I visited the workshop of a wooden stair constructor (Tassos J. Vardopoulos) and saw his tools. In Japan there is no a particular craftsman for stairs (usually it is constructed by a master carpenter accοrdιng to the needs). Here, the characteristic is that the spiral stair is made by wood. In the past, there were many stair carpenters, however today, there is only this one left. We may see spiral stairs in buildings in the city but the material havs been replaced by metal. Spiral stairs either from wood or metal can be found in various areas as a building;s interior design. This trend has its origin in Europe.
Takahashi Tadahisa
Report on the changes of craftsmen in Bakans (2006) within the frame of research carried out on behalf of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan, subsidized by the Imperial House and the Japan Society for the promotion of Sciences cinnected with the work of Tassos Vardopoulos.
Η εργασία του Τάσου Βαρδόπουλου συμπεριλαμβάνεται στην έρευνα που εκπονείται από τον κ. Tadahisha Tahashi, ερευνητικού μέλους του “Middle Eastern Culture Center” in Japan, το οποίο επιδοτείται από τον Αυτοκρατορικό Οίκο της Ιαπωνίας και το “Japan Society for the Promotion of Science” με γενικό θέμα: “Transformation of the Craftsmen in Balkans”.
…Στην Αθήνα επισκέφτηκα το εργαστήριο ενός ξυλουργού σκάλας (του Τάσου Ι. Βαρδόπουλου) και είδα τα εργαλεία του. Στην Ιαπωνία δεν υπάρχει ειδικός ξυλουργός σκάλας (συνήθως μάστορας οικοδομής την κατασκευάζει ανάλογα με την ανάγκη). Εδώ το χαρακτηριστικό είναι ότι η γυριστή σκάλα κατασκευάζεται από ξύλο. Κάποτε υπήρχαν πολλοί ξυλουργοί σκάλας αλλά σήμερα έμεινε μόνο αυτό το εργαστήριο. Μπορούμε να δούμε γυριστές σκάλες σε κτήρια μέσα στην πόλη, όμως το υλικό έχει αντικαταστεί από μέταλλο. Η γυριστή σκάλα από ξύλο ή μέταλλο βρίσκεται σε διάφορες περιοχές ως εσωτερική διακόσμηση κτηρίου. Αυτή η τάση έχει έλθει από την Ευρώπη.
Takahashi Tadahisa
Aναφορά με θέμα τις μεταβολές των τεχνιτών στα Βαλκάνια (2006) στα πλαίσια της έρευνας που έγινε για λογαριασμό του Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan με επιδότηση του Αυτοκρατορικού Οίκου και του Japan Society for the promotion of Sciences, η οποία σχετίζεται με τις κατασκευές του Τάσου Βαρδόπουλου.

KALLIGAS DIMITRIS

NINI FILINI – KORONAIOU

TAKIS MAUROTAS
Dear Tasos,
beautiful work you do !!
from cloudy Rome !
Domenico. Minchilli Architect
Your work is impressive.
I will keep your reference.
Best wishes
John Tackett Architect
Dear Tasos,
In the careful hands of Athenian Tasos Vardopoulos, the craft of the stairmaker is elevated to a sculptural art form. His ability to make a staircase flow like a waterfall, twist like a serpent, or spread into a room like the train of a wedding dress is legendary among the top flite of European architects. To them, his exceptional skills provide a whole extra palette of sculptural forms with which they can express their vision for a space. Each of his architectural confections is completely unique, tailored to enhance the space and the building.
Who would have thought that 35 years later I would be sitting here writing for you about the most celebrated stairmaker in Europe.
Matthew Platt
Managing Director
Hi Tasos
I am amazed at the quality craftsmanship and of the good design. Your pieces …parts are very sculptural in themselves.
. I will keep your work always in mind.
Best regards
Tasos,
Your work is beautiful.
I think teaching your craft is a great idea. I’m sure there are schools in Europe and the US that would be happy to have you teach classes.
All of the work is with chisels?
Best wishes,
Dear Mr Vardopoulos,
Your work is very impressive.
Kind regards,
Brian Gandy
Hello Tasos,
It was a pleasure to hear from you and to view your web site. I have long admired “old world” craftsmanship so I
have a very high regard for your skills.
.
Your skills are very unique and deserve
a very specialized clientele.
I wish you good fortune… you deserve it!
From snowy upstate New York…
Best regards,
Bob
Making handmade wooden staircases and handrails is very specialized area of woodworking, one you obviously have mastered. I’m really impressed with your work
Jim Harrold
Editor-in-Chief Woodcraft Magazine
Γεια σας και Συγχαρητηρια!!
μας κανετε περηφανους ολους εμας που εχουμε συνεργαστει μαζι σας,
συνεχιστε την υπεροχη δουλεια σας,
με εκτιμηση,
Βαξεβανακης Δημητρης αρχιτεκτων
Τάσσο, συγχαρητήρια!
Σου αξίζει κάθε προβολή και διάκριση.
απόλαυσα την εξαιρετική παρουσίαση. Σου εύχομαι καλή δύναμη στην προσπάθεια που κάνεις να γνωστοποιήσεις τη δουλειά σου και είμαι σίγουρος, πως όλα θα πάνε όπως επιθυμείς.
Αγαπητέ Τασο,
συγχαρητήρια πραγματικά. Φαίνεται πως αγαπάς την δουλειά σου και την θαυμάζης. Μπράβο, σου αξίζει !!
Μακάρι να είχε η χώρα μας τετοιους …. να αγαπούν ότι δουλευουν και δημιουργούν. Μας λειπουν πολλοί…
Great work, very interesting and organic. I know where to come if I need a staircase.
Robinson House Studio
I have just looked at your blog and the staircases you produce. I am extremely impressed by your skills and work. having studied stair making early on in my career i know just how difficult it is to achieve compound hand rail.
Excellent work!
Best wishes
Jane Cleal
Williams and Cleal Furniture by Design
Dear Tasos,
I am most impressed by your work.
You are a very talented stairmaker!
We hope you continue to enjoy such a challenging career.
Sincerely,
Linda Macpherson
Internet Customer Service Representative Lee Valley hand tools
Greetings Tasos,
Tasos,
Your work looks excellent. Keep up the good work.
Marc Adams
Hello Tasos,
I have made a few handrails in the past and I know what exacting and very special work it is. I looked at your website and – truly – there are not many craftsmen who have such a high skill and can create beautiful shapes and prefect forms so consistently – congratulations!
I hope one day you try some other sculpture – perhaps fish?!
Chris Pye: Woodcarver
Mr. Vardopoulos,
You are a very accomplished artist. I enjoyed seeing your workmanship, It really is beautiful art; great wood, incredible glue-ups! I can see that your work is complex as well as beautiful.
Sincerely,
Hi Tasos,
Your work is great! And I like very much your web site.
Dear Tasos,
You do wonderful work
. I wish we could display it on our sculpture grounds, but every work must be able to take violent winter storms and ultraviolet rays.
Dear Tasos,
I am interested in your work and hope some day with my husband Patrick to visit your wonderful country.
Regards,
Tasos,
I’d say that you are the master when it comes to stairmaking, and I wouldn’t pretend to be qualified to render an opinion on your work. I am curious though…are you training someone to carry your skills into the future?
Peter Korn, Executive Director Center for Furniture Craftsmanship
Tasos,
I’m a craft that does not often have the need for the skills you have. I could not begin to do your work; it’s amazing.
Hi, Tasos.
Your work is very beautiful.
I really love your work.
Have you presented images of your sculptures to architects? Often, they select sculpture when they design homes or commercial buildings.
Martha Walker sculptor
Τάσο μου, τώρα πιά το όνομά σου θα ζήσει γιά πάντα!
Πολλά Συγχαρητήρια!
Μου, έδωσες μεγάλη χαρά,
Πολλά Φιλιά,
Hello Tasos,
. Your work is very good.
Best Regards,
Jennifer
Jennifer Laemlein
Director
hello Tasos
Maybe you should consider the concept of seminars or classes
in collaboration with Universities or Technical Schools in Greece
or abroad.In a promotion of the preservation of this unique technique.
Best regards as always
Anna
Anna Watts-Chatziioakeimidis Architect
Dear Tasos Vardopoulos,
Congratulations on the job!
Hello Taso,
We reviewed your website and your works are truly spectacular!
But wish you the best.
Kevin Robb Studios
Dear Mr.Tasos,
You work is beautiful.
Best Wishes
Dear Tasos,
You are clearly a very skilled craftsman yourself. In fact, when I first saw the pictures you included with your message I thought that you were a sculptor of abstract art.
The lower one in particular looked like the work of Richard Serra. And the sinuous curved rail in the upper photograph could also be a part of a sculpture. But I think your work is all the more to be admired because of its practical function. You must follow not the whims of your imagination but the exacting requirements of your project, and to my mind this means that your technical skill must be all the greater.
I especially appreciate your staircase
. I wish you the very best
good luck with everything,
Kind regards,
Ben
Ben Pentreath & Associates – Architecture & Masterplanning …
Dear Tasos,
I have just visited your website. I think you are a very skilled craftsman – those stairs are so beautiful!
Do you make it all yourself? Design and drawings? And also the crafts?
I have never had an exhibition in Greece but who knows maybe in the future?
Best regards,
Jens Ingvard Hansen Sculptor
Nice work Tasos,
I like the piece on the right, it looks like a reclining figure.
Thank you
Larry Young Sculptor
Γεια σου Τάσο,
Συγχαρητήρια!!
Εντυπωσιάστηκα από τη δουλεία σου. Τα έργα σου είναι καταπληκτικά!! Σου έυχομαι καλή δύναμη να συνεχίσεις αυτή τη σπουδαία και μοναδική παραδοσιακή τέχνη.
Με φιλικούς χαιρετισμούς Κέικο
Great work, very interesting and organic. I know where to come if I need a staircase.
Best regards,
An invisible and immensely intricate system holds together each staircase as if carved out of one tree-trunk… I was lucky to see them and touch them too! The feeling of caressing wood velvet…
Maria Argyraki
This is an amazing craft and so few of those magnificent things are to be seen around. It’s so refreshing to see people crafting such marvelous things with their hands and basic tools. Technology can do marvels these days but nothing beats the feeling and care a devoted professional can apply to his work. This is an art in its core and it would be a shame to disappear…
these staircases are truly works of art. Tassos speaks to us through the timber.