ABOUT FIONA
"One good turn deserves another: the artisanal approach to transforming wood into functional art”
That’s a mantra that Fiona Gazepis, of Sappho Designs, literally lives by with her avocation turned vocation of being an artisan wood turner and designer.
Using only sustainable and responsibly sourced timber, Fiona takes pride in creating a variety of one off pieces that work in any space.
“The beauty is in the imperfection”.
Fiona was born and raised in Earlwood in Sydney Australia. Why “Sappho”? That is the name given to her at birth but being a child of Greek migrants in the 1960’s, parents were encouraged to Anglicise her name, hence she’s been known by the name of “Fiona”. Reverting to her birth name for her studio was in honour of her Mother’s Island - the stunning island of Lesvos and the island famous for her beloved trees - olive trees, aka - olive wood. Lesvos is also the birthplace of female famous poet Sappho )c. 630 – c. 570 BC) so there are so many synergies. Fiona’s time is spent between her home in Andros Island, Greece and her studio in Darlinghurst.
From a very young age, she showed an avid interest in wood. She was often seen nailing bits and pieces of wood together to form different shapes, sometimes even into the kitchen floor, much to her mother’s chagrin.
Often travelling to Greece and marvelling in the beauty of the thousands of olive trees, it wasn’t until she established her home in Andros with all its olive trees, that her love for wood took a new turn after seeing the beauty which lay within the fallen trunks. She was going to turn it. She was going to explore the many shapes and fluid lines that can be borne from a clump of wood - a clump of wood which to most was a dead block used as firewood but to Fiona, a clump of art which she could breathe back to life.
She then began experimenting with adding other mediums to her wood, such as resin, copper and even pine cones. The possibilities to Fiona are endless. When not in Greece, she’s most often than not in her studio creating. Shapes, colours, textures and passion. She finds inspiration in everything.
Sappho’s Studio is found at 222 Liverpool Street Darlinghurst.
For all enquires, special order requests or custom pieces, contact Fiona at:
fiona@sappho-designs.com
Or direct message on Instagram