My name is Michael Arvanitis and I have been a woodcarver since 2013. I was inspired and studied under Panagiotis and George Thanos, who specialize in carved furniture, and the contribution of Bekos Panagiotis, an excellent church wood carving artist, is also important in my course. Since art also functions as a biological mirror, my place of origin and activity, Santorini, a place with many churches and chapels, simple and unpretentious examples of traditional architecture with ornate wood-carved iconostases, has a great influence on my artistic expression.

I love working with a variety of woods and each present a unique challenge to create something beautiful that also enhances the inner beauty of the wood itself. I have carved across a very broad range of subjects and styles: from the traditional to the modern; from the photographically realistic to the utterly whimsical; from relief and ornamental carving to lettering and sculpture.

I love carving; for me it's a sort of joy: the interaction between the steel and the wood, the slice of the cutting edge, the sounds and smells. I'm also passionate about the survival of fine woodcarving and woodcarving skills.