Name:
Vinetu (Vinnie) Gracanin
Born:
1970
Addictions:
Breathing, eating, surf, snow, coffee, coffee, adrenaline, guitars, board sports, exceptional art and people.
Chosen Medium:
Pencils on paper and Acrylic paint.
Sponsors:
Caran d’Ache Pencils Switzerland
Viponds Paints
Kadmium Art Supplies
Canson Fine Art Papers
Having been a long established artist in Sydney Australia. Vinnie has managed to sketch out a creative career from an art ability that was first noticed at the tender age of five. His early working days were very sobering, as he spent 4 years working as part of a Trauma Unit team in the hospital system. It was in the Operating Theatre and Intensive Care unit where he experienced both the tremendous finality of death, as well as the energy of new life entering this complex world.
His experience in life has provided him with an endless supply of highly complex visuals and a provoking outlook on what life has to deliver. Vinnie has participated in a number of select exhibitions over the years and continues to do so when time permits, but has been far more interested in focusing his art to a place that is based on impulse and the subconscious, rather than the premeditated. He has two sides to this creative existence, one being a commercial reality of image creation according to direction by clients, the other side is simply a freedom of expression with a simple process of pencil on paper, which is what he truly enjoys and feel is most natural.
He has worked with many alternative and traditional materials, which in turn provides him with many skills to add to an ever growing bag of options. He has worked with timbers, styrene, clay and stone but prefers Acrylic paint and especially Pencil. His love of pencils goes back to his childhood and has certainly stayed with him over the years. In particular is the attention to detail and the very “non typical” pencil finish he has managed to develop over the years, which has always had many who view the work wondering about the medium used. His art focuses on the surreal twists of the human condition and environment.
He has always said that “art only exists because of normality/boredom of humanity”, and hopes that his art can play some part in taking people out of that “normality and boredom”……. if they so wish!
Charitable Events:
• Cure Our Kids (Oncology Murals) 2003 60sqm
• Cure Our Kids fund raiser (Sketches on request)
• Moooving art 2002 – raised $20,000 at auction for charity
• Staedtler Australia Schools Expo – Pencil drawing clinics.
• Staedtler Easter show stand – 150 Easter rabbit sketches for the kids 05/06.
• Make-A-Wish Art auction donation 07
• 2007 – St Lucy’s Special Education Fund raiser-Art work donation 07/08
• Barton Lynch’s Blast Off Surf event 08/09 Art work donation for charity.
• Padang Earthquake 09 – “Mermaid Gathering” in pencil for auction.
• Padang Earthquake 09 – “Mermaid Gathering” in pencil for auction.
• 2015 – Sydney Children’s Hospital renovation make over with Channel 9 and A Current Affair.Donated 3 full wall murals for therapy treatment rooms valued at $15000
Shows:
1985 – Schools combo exhibition – 5 works sold
1987 – Combined Schools Art Spectacular – 3 works sold
1988 – Southern regional gallery combined show
1997 – Surf clubs Open Art festival
2000 – Airbrush Australia Darling Harbour Expo
2000 – Moooving Art International – 5 Cows commissioned for public exhibit.
2001 – George Patterson – Bates ad agency Moooving Art media event and show.
2006 – Signature Of Sydney Art invitational (Finalist – Sold at auction).
2007 – Concrete Crayons Launch – Guest Artist in mixed show
2008 – Signature of Melbourne
2010 – Erotica 2010 – National Exhibition Qld
2011 – Finalist – Black Swan Portrait Prize WA
2012 -Large format pencil creations for solo show in New York City.
2013 -The Australian Art Show -Melbourne City Victoria.
2014 – Guest artist – SOHO New York
2015 – Caran d’Ache Multi Product Ambassador
2016 – Solo show : DRAWN TO YOU! Sydney Australia .
2016 – Caran d’Ache Multi Product Ambassador
2017 – Caran d’Ache Multi Product Ambassador
2018 – Caran d’Ache Multi Product Ambassador
Testimonials:
Vibrant, Complex, Intense, Beautiful, Challenging, Inspiring, Surreal and just Amazing….. are just a few words to describe Vinnie Gracanin’s pencil art.
Vinnie takes the medium of pencil art to a whole new level, which is always exciting every time he puts pencil to paper. A very talented Australian artist that STAEDTLER has been proud to be associated with over many years, and will continue to do so.
A truly natural talent.
Margaret Savage, Marketing Manager
Staedtler (Pacific) Pty Ltd
I have known Vinnie Gracanin for nearly twenty years as a personal friend, an incredible artist and even as a sponsor of my surfing event for kids – BL’s Blast Off.
I first met Vinnie in the late 80s when he approached me about being a subject for a portrait for his entry in the Archibald prize. Over the years we have remained good friends and shared a love of surfing & art. Vinnie is a real character who always has a smile on his face and has an infectious personality. The most impressive thing about Vinnie is the broad range of his artistic styles and skills, he can do anything and always does it well.
Barton Lynch
1988 World Surfing Champion & Sporting Hall of Fame Legend
It was late in the day when I received a phone call from a person advising me of this guy who was creating an enormous painting in Darling Harbour Sydney. I was intrigued so I decided to give him a call. Well within 30 seconds it was like talking to an old friend. He was funny, witty, very inspiring and most importantly, a mind blowing artistic talent! Vinnie and his art is a must see for anyone looking for something more than ordinary.
A.Valerio
Publisher Australian Airbrush Art