Petros Tsakmakilis (b. 1984, Greece) is a contemporary ceramic artist known for blending traditional techniques with innovative, sculptural designs. in 1973, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture from AKTO College/Middlesex University in 2002. Over the years, while working as a junior designer in an architectural office and then as a warehouse worker in the family business, he explored different art forms– from painting to sculpture with different materials (wood, wire, paper pulp).
Clay was the medium he felt most connected to and in 2008, he enrolled at the Centre for the Study of Modern Pottery in Athens, where he followed ceramic art courses in the class of archeologist and ceramist Nikos Liaros until early 2010. Since then, he has lived in Lausanne Switzerland where he has developed his practice using a variety of materials, clay, and techniques. His work features bold, abstract forms and intricate surface textures, often inspired by natural patterns.
Tsakmakilis uses high-temperature reduction and wood firing to create unique, dynamic glazes that give each piece an evolving surface. His ceramics explore the concept of idols, often combining human and animal form as a way to explore myth and the creation of heroes overtime. His work has been exhibited internationally, earning recognition for its aesthetic beauty and innovative approach to ceramics.