A Stitch in Time

From Working to Preserve Our Heritage: The Incredible Legacy of Greek-American Community Services

"The Fabric Arts of Greece program was one of our first endeavors and remained an integral part of GACS throughout its existence. The classes provided socialization to isolated older adults and helped to preserve and share this traditional art form.

The program aimed to preserve and perpetuate the unique Greek art form of stavrovelonia, an intricate form of cross-stitching. Examples of this art form could be found in many Greek homes where carefully embroidered tablecloths, doilies, wall hangings, and other textiles were on display. Although popular with older generations, interest in this art form was waning. 

Elaine and Steve crafted a compelling proposal about the importance and uniqueness of this art form and explained how this tradition was passed down from generation to generation in Greek families by teaching this art form to succeeding generations and the works of art that were created and often displayed in prominence within the home. 

The classes targeted senior citizens and were held at the Chicago Department of Aging Levy Senior Center located at Lawrence and Damen Avenues. Although this was an instructional class, a secondary goal of the program was to offer participants, some of whom were socially isolated, an opportunity to socialize as well. As envisioned, there would be two sets of eight-week class sessions, one in the spring and one in the fall. The grant funded materials and supplies and a per diem for the artist. Additional time to socialize over coffee or lunch was accommodated before the class. The classes were held on Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Through word of mouth, Elaine came across Penny Kalogianis who was selected to be the instructor. She had recently come from Greece and was teaching a class in textile arts at her sister’s embroidery store on Lawrence Avenue. Penny was willing to teach the class but did not want to take on the responsibilities of being a grantee which included preparing reports and financial accounting of how grant funds were expended. We needed to quickly find an artist to apply for and administer the grant.

 Within a day of the deadline to submit the grant, I asked Tessie Cantos if she would be willing to take this on. Although not a professional artist, Tessie was skilled in this art form, which had been passed down to her from her mother and grandmother and agreed to become the grantee. Tasia Economou, a distant relative and former coworker of Tessie’s from the Hellenic Foundation, and a GACS volunteer, joined as a class assistant. Tasia was in her upper eighties at the time. The grant request was approved.

The project description, as initially conceived and submitted to COFA in the May 1986 grant proposal, read in part: 

'This project will make available to the public needle-art traditions from all parts of Greece. The fabric art traditions to be taught to the elderly at the Levy Center from August 1, 1986, to March 23, 1987, reveal rural village aesthetics where artistic expression is informed by generations of women providing the daily and holiday needs of their families. 

Since the 1700s, museums, and private collectors from Europe and the Americas have avidly sought to acquire samples from the whole spectrum of fabric arts regularly made by women in the rural villages of Greece. 

The thirty-five (35) classes in Greek needle art will be held every Monday from 8:30 AM to 10 AM at the Levy Center’s Craft room. The actual classes will be preceded by a two-week exhibition in the Levy Center's main lobby. The exhibition will be drawn from the heirlooms and contemporary work of the class instructors as well as the Greek women who regularly attend the Levy Center. With 450 people per day passing through the Levy Center's main lobby, a potential audience of over 4,500 individuals will see this exhibition. In the course of the year, two smaller exhibits will be presented, again in the Levy Center lobby, to make the public continually aware of the program. 

Starting the overall program will be four class sessions (August 1-29) under the guidance of Tasia Economou which will be devoted to presenting the entire gamut of Greek needle arts as preserved and observed in America: crocheting, cut-work, embroidery, knitting, woven fabrics, and even, Eastern Orthodox church vestments. This survey will provide the attending women not only with some essential sense of the overall fabric traditions of Greece but also allow them time to decide which of the classes they wish to attend – if all are not interested in the entire program. 

The full range of audience interests is to be served by the careful structure of each of the thirty-five classes. To begin with, there will be five class projects, each to last six weeks: September 5th to October 3rd with Tessie Cantos teaching Pelopponean style crocheting; October 10th to November 7th with Anna Kekatos teaching Thracian style cross-stitching; November 14th to December 19th Penny Kalogiannis teaching {Pelopponean}, style cross-stitching; and Vasia Siapkaris teaching two projects: January 2nd to February 2nd Greek Macedonian embroidery and February 9th to March 16th embroidery for Orthodox Church vestments. 

Each of the sessions will be structured with an introductory half-hour showing the class an array of examples of the fabric tradition under review; that session is accompanied by some descriptive historical and social context on the various pieces of needle art. Immediately following these remarks will be an hour of classroom instruction. The final class on March 23, 1987, will be an open house for families and friends of the class participants along with anyone else from the Levy Center who would like to attend. 

Our objective with this project is to introduce a new art form to the public through the class and the exhibitions. The project is aimed at teaching twenty (20) people per class session elements of design and overall aesthetics in rural Greek fabric art. Our target audience is hard to reach in both the sense of their being elderly and Greek. We will measure our success with these objectives by the number of those attending this project as well as by the photographs and audio tapes provided with the final report which document the exhibitions and classes.'

Thirty-eight participants enrolled in the classes, exceeding our expectations. Participants ranged from first timers to accomplished artists. The classes provided a means for participants to engage in conversations and get to know each other. Some participants met for lunch before the class in the Levy Center dining room which served Golden Diner's lunches to seniors.

The Fabric Art Project continued to meet at the Levy Center for its first few years. Tessie coordinated the program with Penny as an instructor and Tasia as a program assistant. Penny eventually returned to Greece and Tasia became less dependable due to her advanced age. Frieda Aravosis assumed the role of assistant. In addition to being a skilled artist in her own right, Frieda had been a program participant and was Tessie’s sister-in-law (her brother’s wife). The two ran the program through 1993, usually assisted by Bessie Choporis, who also had a strong background in these art forms and was Tessie’s sister-in-law (her husband’s sister). 

Once GACS relocated to the Pulaski location, we moved the classes into the center. The classes were held in the James E. Demeur Conference Room, and participants often mingled or visited with adult day care clients. We encouraged Greek ADC clients, as well as any others who may have been interested, to join in on the classes.

In March 1994, Tessie Cantos, who coordinated the program since its inception, passed away. Frieda Aravosis then took on the role of coordinator for the project and remained in that role until the program ended in 2002. She was assisted by Bessie Choporis, Beulah Iatropoulos, and Eugenia Stathakis.

In October 1998, examples of artwork created through this program were displayed in the lobby of the James R. Thompson Center in observance of the 'United Nations International Year of the Older Adult.' Fabric Arts Program participants displayed some of their work at the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center. In addition to the display, a roundtable conversation with several participants was held on July 15, 2001, to show and discuss their pieces. Frieda and the participants spoke about their experiences with the art form and how they honed their craft and displayed examples of their creations. The event was well attended.

When GACS closed most of its programs in early 2002, the Fabric Arts Project remained intact. Even with no funding, the participants continued to meet weekly for their classes for quite some time. The classes were relocated to the Chicago Department of Aging’s Northwest Senior Center (Copernicus Center) at 3160 N. Milwaukee. The participants gathered for Golden Diners lunch before beginning the classes. Elaine, John, and I stopped by to visit on occasion."

An early Fabric Arts of Greece class held at the Levy Senior Center. Tessie Cantos (center left) assists a participant. Circa 1986. Tessie Cantos collection.

Tasia Economou, Penny Kalogiannis, and Tessie Cantos during a Fabric Arts of Greece class at the Levy Center. September 1986. Tessie Cantos collection.

(L-R): Eugenia Stathakis and Tessie Cantos display some of the pieces created by class participants. Circa 1993. Tessie Cantos collection.

Participants in the GACS Fabric Arts Program display handmade Christmas items they made for adult day care center participants. Pictured (L-R): Unknown, unknown, unknown, Mary Strouzas, and Tessie Cantos. December 1992. Photo by John Rassogianis. Tessie Cantos collection.

Flyer promoting the Fabric Arts of Greece classes at GACS. March 21, 2001. Elaine Thomopoulos collection.

Beulah Iatropoulos discusses several of her works at the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center. John Dubrovin and unknown look on. July 15, 2001. John Psiharis collection.

(L-R): Pat Michalski, Governor’s special assistant for ethnic affairs, with Elaine Thomopoulos at the GACS booth in the State of Illinois Center, December 2001. On display were pieces created by Fabric Arts Program participants. Elaine Thomopoulos collection.

Fabric Arts Program participants meet with Illinois First Lady Laura Lynn Ryan in the Governor’s Office. Seated (L-R): Emily Cotsirilos, Eugenia Stathakis, Phyllis Cain, and John Dubrovin. Standing: John Psiharis, Elaine Thomopoulos, Laura Lynn Ryan, Beaula Iatropoulos, and Frieda Aravosis. October 2001. John Psiharis collection.

Fabric Arts Program meeting at GACS. Pictured (L-R): Bessie Choporis, Antonia Papanikolaou, Frieda Aravosis, and John Psiharis. Date unknown. John Psiharis collection.