about:
Nemanja Petrovic grew up in Buffalo, NY after immigrating from the former Yugoslavia with his family at the age of 5. His interest in art was sparked by watching cartoons from old VHS tapes and pausing them to draw the characters. He would continue to develop and begin to grow an interest in representational work which would lead him to attend Buffalo State University. There he took his first life drawing class and also began to study painting, eventually leading to graduating with a BFA in 2017. He would continue with his studies, moving to San Francisco in 2018 where he attended the Academy of Art University and graduated with his MFA in Painting in December 2020. Currently, Petrovic teaches drawing online as an adjunct instructor at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and Western Nevada College.
Nemanja’s work reflects modern life and what it means to live in our current era. The work is heavily influenced by his upbringing, painting people of many different backgrounds and ethnicities in recognizable modern clothing and settings. His still life work continues with this modern feel, featuring everyday common objects, some sentimental and nostalgic to both him and the viewer.
Awards:
December 2020 - Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition - “Out of the Box” Finalist
May 2020 - AAU Spring Show 2nd Place Portrait Award
January 2018 - Buffalo State University Excellence in Painting Award
Exhibitions:
September 2023 - Faculty Show, Villa Maria College, Buffalo, NY
February 2023 - RMCAD Biennial Faculty + Staff Exhibition, Philip J. Steele Gallery, Denver, Colorado
May 2020 - AAU Spring Show, San Francisco, California
May 2019 - AAU Spring Show, San Francisco, California
November 2017 - National Small Works Exhibition, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, Texas
November 2017 - Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Buffalo, New York
April 2017 - Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Buffalo, New York
April 2016 - SUNY Advanced Painting Exhibition, Main St. Gallery, Buffalo, New York
January 2016 - Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Buffalo, New York
March 2015 - Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Buffalo, New York
EDucation:
December 2020 - MFA Painting, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California
May 2018 - Resident Artist, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York
May 2017 - BFA Painting, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York
December 2015 - BA Art, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York