UNAVAILABLE – 24×30 Oil – ‘Zorro’ is a special painting in memory of Nikola “Zorro” Zoricic. Nik was one of Canada’s most beloved ski racers, competing for Canada in Alpine and Skier Cross at the top level for almost a decade. He passed away in a tragic ski accident in 2012. Nik had an incredible passion for ski racing, and relentless drive and determination to be the best. Nik was a man that lead by example, he was pure class and style. He was a friend you always felt close with, and always wanted to be around. He was a role model to countless young racers, who he always had time to give feedback and mentor. He was an incredible friend or team mate to many of us, and will continue to be deeply missed.
When I was asked to do a painting of Nik by his sister Katarina, I was truly touched. Nik and I spent several years racing together on the Ontario ski team and then with the National ski team. I got to know his family well. His loving father and coach Bebe, his ever supportive and loving mother Sylvia, and his little sister Katarina who he loved, protected and cherished. In this painting, I tried to capture the essence and spirit of Nik. Nik never tried to be flashy or draw special attention to himself. He was humble, composed and had a relaxed, cool style and equanimity. For these reasons, I painted Nik in a grey scale color palette with muted blues and purples. Despite his attempts to go unnoticed, Nik was always the one people gravitated to and were attracted to. He had a sort of glow to him, which I tried to capture through the luminescence of his figure. As per the request of Kat, Nik is surrounded by the mountains where he spent most of his life, chasing his dreams. The particular mountain behind him to his left is the Matterhorn, close to the hills of Zermatt, where Nik had done countless days of training through his career. It was a very touching experience painting a dear friend who you’ve lost. With every stroke on the canvas, I remembered different stories that we encountered together. Listening to music in our room the night before races, talking about proper power clean technique in the gym, and long chairlift rides deep in the Austrian valleys pondering life, girlfriends, and ski racing. Nik, your memories and stories will live on through your friends and family, and you’ll always have a special place in our hearts.
An incredible foundation has been started in Nik’s memory to support the development of ski sport and safety initiatives in ski racing and training. Please visit the NZ Foundation website, and feel free to make a contribution to this great organization, or get involved in one of the upcoming events.
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