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About the Artist
Renos was born in Paphos (Cyprus) in 1944 and spent his youth exploring the ruins of ancient cultures, the Temple of Aphrodite and by the shores of the Paphian Sea and coast which continues to be one of his stronger inspirations to the present day.
He came to London early in 1964 to study art and followed a career in Graphic Arts. At the time he was living near Portobello Road and the bohemian atmosphere was a great influence on his art. He studied life classes and composition at St Martin's School of Art, then completed an Art Foundation course at Sir John Cass and he was a regular visitor to Whitechapel Gallery opposite. He was awarded a scholarship and completed a three year course of Graphic Arts at Ealing School of Art (1967-70), alongside Freddie Mercury and Brian May of the rock group “Queen”.
Finally, he completed his arts education with a specialist Advanced Typographic Design Degree at the London College of Printing.
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The artist in his exhibition (1999) with the Mayor and a few Councillors of Barnet.
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Renos in his Studio.
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Renos started with Associated Newspapers as a retouching artist with the Evening News
and then with the Daily Mail.
A painting in memory of Freddie “Queen” with whom he was doing graphics at Ealing.
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In all his life he worked with his own business, assisted by his wife Anna with a Design and Advertising Consultancy...see
www.toplineart.co.uk and was involved with some small leisure publications.
However, his main career from 1974 till he took early retirement in 2004 to concentrate on his painting, was with Associated Newspapers
and the Daily Mail in particular where he was a retouching artist at first and then in the electronic arts department,
working to strict deadlines daily.
From a young age, Reno's special interest was in painting. This took him away many times from his contemporaries as any free time
available was devoted to his art exploration and workshop activity.
The major turning point in reverting with more power and emotion to his painting, was his visit to Nepal in the spring
of 1997.
On his return he started to work day and night and produced some of his rare etchings in the workshops of Byam Shaw School of
Art.
He then assembled all his early and later years work into a retrospective exhibition at the Hilton in Nicosia during the same year.
This was followed by a successful exhibition of his works from Nepal in early 1999 which gave him enormous encouragement.
Some of his early works and those which followed can be viewed in his permanent Gallery at
www.toplineart.co.uk in “Art & Gallery”.
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With his wife at the House of Lords Special Reception and his two works. |
He is a long time resident of Barnet and a regular participant in local art activities and exhibitions.
He has one of his works, The Stupa of Kathmandu in the permanent private Zambellas collection in Nicosia.
In 2004 he won the opportunity to participate in the House of Lords special finalists competition to select British
Landscapes for their
permanent collection. Two of his three submitted works were accepted.
Many of his other works are in Private Homes, Collections, Institutions and Organisations.
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The Stupa of Kathmandu as exhibited in a special exhibition of selected works in Nicosia.
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A PERSONAL STATEMENT
The blue skies and the sea of the Eastern Mediterranean plus the Aegean with boats and coastal seascapes provide
me with continuous
stimulation. They remain the memories of my childhood and still are my most constant inspiration.
In contrast the lush and green landscapes of England such as the Lake District or the active golf course, the
coastal beauty of Cornwall and
beyond, the cityscapes from St Albans to central London are just as stimulating.
In general, as an artist with a great passion in preserving and exploring our natural surroundings, anything
that relates to life, human
activity and the beauty under the heavens with all the glory of form, colour and light, these find their way onto my canvases or paper.
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EXHIBITIONS
Since the 1960's Renos participated in many local group exhibitions. He has become more active since the middle of 2005 with local arts and
exhibitions, not just in Hertfordshire but also the surrounding areas and London of course. Some of these exhibitions are featured in the
“Activities” page of this website. 
In deep conversation with the Ambassador
of Nepal in London, in his 1999 Nepal exhibition.
SOLO and SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
1963 - Paphos Town Hall, his first solo exhibition
1967 - Retrospective of his work at the Hilton Nicosia
1999 - His work inspired by his visit to Nepal, in Central London
1999 - His works inspired from Greece and Cyprus Blues at North Finchley
2001 - Images from the Sea....with K. Kotsiofides, Hellenic Centre - Central London
2003 - Blues and the Sea...with K. Kotsiofides, Hellenic Centre - Central London
2005 - Selected small group exhibition, Gallery 47 – Central London
2006 - His latest works and assisting in aid of the Mayor of Barnet charity, North London
2007 - Myths and Nature with two other artists at Hellenic Centre – Central London
2008 - Blue and Light works, alongside sculptor friend, Cos Gerolemou, Britannia Centre North London
2009 - Summer Vision, Reno's latest works with a small group of other artists( he was the co-
ordinator), Britannia Centre, North London
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| copyright Renos Lavithis 2005 |
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