Vladan Ignatovic
Vladan was born in 1955 in Nis, Yugoslavia. There
was a wealth of
artistic talent in his direct family although no-one was a professional
artist, and he was constantly encouraged to be creative as a
child. In fact, one of his earliest memories is of his preference
for a pencil and paper over the usual toys!
After excelling at science in school and college
however, he opted for a career in electrical engineering as
a practical vocation. In his spare time he continued to draw
and paint as he had done all his life, and undertook courses
in both painting and print making. Eventually, he found that
there simply was not enough space in his life to pursue his
scientific career and such an all consuming hobby. He therefore
took the decision to quit his job and become a full time artist,
to the delight of his family and friends.
After several years in Belgrade, Vladan moved
to Canada, settling in Toronto in 1993, sensing that it would
offer him greater opportunities to find work in a suitable artistic
environment. Here he began painting murals for commercial and
residential spaces and participated in numerous local art exhibitions.
In 1995 he was offered a lucrative position as an animator creating
digital image backgrounds. This gave him a platform from which
to enjoy using his creative ability while pursuing his personal
artistic ambitions.
Using intense impasto oils and employing a palette
inspired by the colours of the Mediterranean, Vladan creates
a wide range of moods and tones -from joy and warmth to cool
reflection and introspection. While the majority of his work
is based around the female figure, he argues strongly against
any allusion to portraiture, explaining that his compositions
represent archetypes of femininity rather than an individual
woman.
Vladans work has appeared in numerous successful
exhibitions in Europe, the USA and Canada.
