Biography

Spirogiannis Ardavanis, a traditional Kefalonian blacksmith, was born in 1926 in the village of Magganos Eryssou – the northernmost region of Kefalonia. Child of a large family, with a blacksmith father, he showed from a very young age his inclination to the art of creative traditional blacksmithing, which is very different from today's. The beginning of his life and "career" coincided with the difficult years of the occupation and the post-war period. However, his intelligence and perspicacity helped him to discover "patents", that is, ways to achieve the desired result with the existing materials but also with everything he could find and use. For example, using parts from German and Italian armaments, to create useful or inventive objects of his work. The region quickly trusted him for its iron structures. Whatever his fellow villagers needed, they knew that they could get it in the best possible form and quality from the furnace - the anvil - the hammer and above all the tireless hands of Mastro-Yiannis.

Growing and improving the conditions of his life and those of his relatives, but always with a sharpened mind and iron will, he continues his work with the same passion, serves his art with the same love, always being loved and necessary in the small society that surrounds him. surrounds. He creates elaborate doors and gates, railings, window bars, ladders for picking olives, artistic winches and well plugs, and many other items, which with proper preparation and processing ensure that they remain in perfect condition for years to come.

At the same time, making a saw band from German cannons, which remained in the area after the liberation, in 1952, and being quite young, he worked for years with the wood that was used in many buildings outside the narrow limits of his area.

His swan song, just as the modest and wonderful traditional blacksmith deserved, stood his creations of iron and stainless steel, whose meticulousness and the time he spent count hundreds of hours of patience and inspiration. These are flowers, floral wreaths, picture frames, railings, rosettes with themes from rural and traditional everyday life, entirely made of old locks with large keys, hanging lamps or dresser lamps, gates, winches, with the culmination of his art and talent in making of the olive tree.

These last artistic creations were worked on after his seventy years, he loved them especially as his children and they occupied him until the last days of his life. Prosperous and immovable, he received a great recognition of his work from the Municipality of Lixouri, in whose town hall his works were exhibited and one from the Municipality of Eryssos – his region – receiving an honorary plaque for his contribution to culture and art. In September 2007, at the age of 81, he left standing as he tirelessly and proudly lived.