Additional Information:
Konstantinos Papadakis is a master wood carver whose work is especially sought after by Orthodox churches

Konstantinos was first inspired to learn carving when, as a nine-year-old boy in Crete, he met a vacationing sculptor in a coffee shop. The sculptor taught him a number of techniques, and this eventually led Konstantinos to apprentice in a carving shop at the age of fourteen. He trained under Master Carver Theophonis Nomikos. In the mid-1960s, he came to the United States. His first Minnesota commission was a small frame that he produced while working in a tiny room beneath St. Mary's church in Minneapolis. Soon, however, his work began to attract greater attention. In 1969, he was commissioned to produce a large carved screen for an Orthodox church in Manitoba. A few years later, he created the largest Byzantine-style altar screen in the U.S. for a church in Louisville, Kentucky.

Today, Konstantinos' work can be seen throughout the U.S. and Canada, and he has even received many overseas commissions. His carving is widely acknowledged as some of the finest Orthodox-style work being produced in North America. Over twenty pieces of his furniture are in use at the State Capitol Building in St. Paul. Konstantinos has mastered many decorative styles, including Byzantine, Barocco, Gothic, Greek folk style, and the traditional Cretan form known as Kritieptamsiaco. Each style carries its own special demands; Byzantine carving, for example, should be made using cuts that remain at a consistent angle, with each flowing line carved at the same depth. For each piece that he is commissioned to do, Konstantinos works with the sponsors to select a style and create a design that balances traditional principles with the needs and tastes of the client.

These days, the majority of Konstantinos' work is produced for Orthodox churches. He is also actively involved in teaching. He has trained several men and women, a number of whom now work with him on larger commisions. In 1994, he trained Mary van Abbema in the folk arts apprenticeship program of the Minnesota State Arts Board. Today, Mary is a full-time, professional wood and stone carver in South Carolina. Konstantinos regularly demonstrates carving at many venues, including schools, cultural festivals, and the Minnesota State Fair.