The painter and engraver Koula (Vassiliki) Bekiari was born in 1905 in Athens, where she passed away in 1992. She apprenticed under her mother, Anna Bekiari. She studied Philology, Music, and Painting. She completed her artistic studies in France, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. During the period 1925–1930, she studied under Nikolaos Lytras, Kostas Parthenis, and Th. Triantafyllidis (painting); in 1937, under G. Velissaridis (engraving); and in 1958, under G. Moschos, learning the art of lithography and the wood engraving technique.
She painted landscapes, still lifes, and primarily portraits. She engaged in representational painting with an expressionistic mood, bold brushwork, and rich, thick impasto. In the figurative elements of her work—particularly in the color and the way she graduates tones to give an surreal dimension to light—a strong influence of Odilon Redon is observed.
She presented her work in solo exhibitions (Nees Morfes, 1960; ATI, 1964; Astor, Athens, 1976). She also participated in group exhibitions (SEK, 1929; Venice Biennale, 1934; Free Artists, 1935, 1939; Panhellenic Engraving Exhibition, 1938; Panhellenic Exhibitions, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1948–honorable mention, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973; Griechische Graphik, Leipziger Messe, Leipzig, 1940; Grekisk Konst, Konstakademien, Stockholm, 1947; Mostra di Pittrici e Scultrici Greche, Galleria Comunale, Rome, 1960; São Paulo Biennale, 1961; Alexandria Biennale, 1963–honorary medal; Salon International de l’Art Libre, Paris, 1964–silver medal; Mostra Annuale Italiana d’Arte Grafica, Ancona, 1966–silver medal; Montecatini Biennale, Italy, 1969; Post-War Engraving, National Gallery of Greece [EPMAS], 1988, among others).
Her works can be found in the National Gallery of Greece, the Municipal Galleries of Athens and Rhodes, the MIET (National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation) Collection, and elsewhere.
She was a member of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece.