Biography

Helen Fay Stamati

Born in Athens with family roots in Constatinople, I attended an English Girls College in Alexandria, Egypt and later a French school in Lausanne, Switzerland. Married with the architect Constantine Stamatis, we have a daughter, Eva who studied art design.

My interest in Milies began in the seventies when I learnt that Daniel Filippidis, born in Milies, Scholar of the 18thc.Enlightenment movement was my ancestor.

  • 1961 Graduated from the Greek State School for Tour Guides.
  • 1961 -1978 Worked as a tour guide.
  • 1979 -1982 Acquired information on the history and the traditional life of Milies.
  • 1982 With my husband we purchased and renovated an old smithy to house the photographs, texts, woven fabrics and embroideries, tools and house utensils that were the base of our collection. We printed a pamphlet of the collection in Greek, English and French, a poster with the lavish view of the Milies railway station, post cards of the village and a map of Milies.
  • 1982 The collection was inaugurated on the 17th of September. Many came to the opening with sweets and tsipouro, proud that they could now boast of having a small ‘museum‘.
  • 1983 Gathering information and photographic material about the pack- saddler from Milies to publish my book ‘The pack saddle, a Pelion traditional craft’, in Greek, French and English.
  • 1983 -1985 Organizing the exhibition on the pack saddle of Milies in the city of Volos, in Athens, in Nauplion, at the annex of the Ethnographic Museum in Geneva, Switzerland and in Nicosia – Cyprus.
  • 1984 Participation in ‘The Rolex award for the spirit of Enterprise’ with the project on Milies. The project was awarded a distinction.
  • 1986 -1989 We plan and organize with my husband the event ‘Come to Milies. Experience the Pelion tradition’, an innovative way of presenting the village by the locals in interaction with the visitors.
  • 1987 My husband and I donate our collection to the Community of Milies in view of creating a Local Museum. I remain responsible of cultural and educational activities of the Milies Local Museum.
  • 1987 -1993 I plan and organize in Milies a Nationwide Children’s Art Competition.
  • 1989 I write the book ‘Milies, a village on Mt Pelion’ which is published in Greek and English.
  • 1990 Design and creation of 4 Museum kits on the traditional life of Milies.
  • 1991 Creation of the ‘Foundation of the Association of the Friends of the Millies Museum’ in Athens and elected Secretary of the Board.
  • 1991 Creation in Milies of the exhibition ‘Protect the Environment’.
  • 1991 - 2002 The Nationwide Children’s Art Competition’ is shown at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens.
  • 1992 -1993 The Exhibition of Greek Children’s Art is invited at the International Museum of Children’s Art in Oslo- Norway, at the Museum of Children’s Art in Manhattan – New York, at the Mayfair Gallery and at the Hellenic College in London.
  • 1994 Promoting and organizing the idea of establishing a Greek Museum of Children’s Art in Athens. I am appointed Secretary of the above, responsible for cultural activities.
  • 1994 -2014 Promoting the activities of the Museum of Greek Children’s Art and responsible of its development.
  • 1996 With my husband we study and create the exhibition ‘The little train of Pelion ’.The exhibition is permanently housed in the Milies Railway Station.
  • 2002 Creation in Milies of the exhibition ‘The 28th of October 1940’, Greek National Day.
  • 2003 The Local Museum is named Municipal Local Museum of Milies.
  • 2007 Creation in Milies of an exhibition for the 25th anniversary of the Milies museum.
  • 2009 Exhibition of my portofolio of photographs at the Argo Gallery in Athens.
  • 2009 -2014 Together with my husband we study and create in Milies exhibitions that are shown at the Evdoxion Cultural Center. The village of Milies in the early 20th century. Children and the games they play. Children’s games in China, Japan, India and Africa’. We say yes to Unicef. The 28th of October. Theophilos, the naif painter. An exhibition for the 30th anniversary of the museum. Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece’. The centaur Chiron’.
  • 2014 Creating thematic exhibitions for the entrance of the Local Museum of Milies to further enhance the interest of the visitors. Theophilos draws scenes of the Greek Revolution against the Turcks. Easter customs. May wreaths. Mother’s day. Father’s day. Boats that carry us away. The National Day, 28th of October 1940.Olives and olive oil. Christmas and New Year’s customs’.
  • 2022 Donating to the Municipal Local Museum of Milies educational material and the Museum’s pamphlet in Greek and English.
  • 2022 Creating the site of the Local Museum of Milies in Greek and English.
  • 2023 Ebooks of the Packsaddle and Milies, a village on mount Pelion.
  • Member of ICOM – International Committee of Museums -, member of the Ethnographic Museum of Geneva, Switzerland, of the Hellenic Folklore Society, of the Friends of the Gennadius Library in Athens and of the Friends of the Benaki Museum in Athens.