Vasilis ZENETZIS was born in Alikarnassos, Heraklion, Crete, in 1935 and died in Athens in 2016.

A self-taught painter, he began painting from a very young age. By the age of ten, he had already created iconographic works in churches in his native region. His talent became evident early, and during his military service he became known for the vivid colours and expressive character of his paintings.

Zenetzis initially worked in oil with a brush, but later developed a highly personal method of painting with a spatula. By cutting the spatula into square shapes of different sizes, he created a distinctive technique which he called “quadrature” or “squaring”. This method gave his works a particular texture, rhythm and luminosity, and became closely associated with his artistic identity.

His subject matter included seascapes, landscapes, harbours, villages and views of Greece, often rendered with rich colour and decorative vitality. His paintings are characterised by strong chromatic contrasts, textured surfaces and a lively sense of atmosphere. Through his distinctive handling of paint, Zenetzis created images that combine recognisable Greek scenery with an expressive and highly personal painterly surface.

In 1973, he participated in the Panhellenic Exhibition, and in 1977 he presented works using his spatula technique in a solo exhibition at Parnassos in Athens. Further solo exhibitions followed in Athens, Heraklion, London and Cyprus. He was also a member of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece.

Vasilis Zenetzis remains recognised as a modern Greek painter whose work is admired for its vibrant colour, distinctive technique and poetic depictions of the Greek landscape and sea.