Friends and supporters of Vinny Vinman Lucarelli of Mission Beach, who turns trash into art and lost nearly everything when his live-in studio burned down, have set up a GoFundMe page for him.
As of Feb. 14, a total of $11,100 had been raised from 191 donations on his account toward a $15,000 fundraising goal.
An East Coast ex-patriot originally from Connecticut, Lucarelli, a pipe welder, and a surfboard shaper, moved to San Diego 30 years ago for the surf and sun. He has remained to make a name for himself by re-purposing salvaged trash plucked from the ocean.
“I jog the beach every day and whatever I find, mostly metal and driftwood, I bring it back and turn it into art, make it look nice, and make a buck off of it,” said the unorthodox artist. “I paint. I do a lot of stuff. Most of the artwork I do is outside.”
Lucarelli recounted a recent Wednesday evening when he left his converted one-car garage studio shack for a short walk to the bay, returning 10 minutes later to find his world had been upended.
“I walked around the corner and said, ‘That’s my house (on fire),’ he noted adding, “I come running up and grabbed a hose and put it through the window. It’s amazing to me. Five minutes. Puff. That’s it. I’m a caveman basically. I got wiped out, lost everything.”
Lucarelli is certain of only one thing at this point. “I don’t want to leave,” he said.
Temporarily staying with friend Shane Geisert until he gets back on his feet, Lucarelli said an investigation is continuing into the blaze that destroyed his shack, noting arson has been ruled out as a possible cause.
Jimmy Acosta, a longtime friend of Lucarelli’s who organized his GoFundMe campaign, said Lucarelli is an “original,” a true artist whose work is appreciated and who deserves a second chance.
“Tourists and locals would often praise him for what he does and take selfies in front of his (art) display in what [Vinny] called art alley on Pismo Court,” said Acosta. “His shack is a complete disaster, which left him with absolutely nothing but his neighbors and community to help. Luckily, he was unharmed in this disaster. His shack was one of the last original art alley Mission Beach surf shacks left. His art brought smiles to everyone passing by.”
Of Lucarelli’s artistic technique, Acosta commented: “He never took anything from anybody. It had to be stuff he found on the bay or the beach or in the alleys, that he uses to make metal sculptures, one of which, 12- to 15-feet tall, he made for the Fourth of July of a guy with an American flag that was all made of random parts.”
Lucarelli is grateful for the compassion people have shown him in his hour of need. “I appreciate all the support from so many people with prayers,” he said adding, “But it isn’t even (just) about the people coming by. People noticing your artwork – that’s the world to me. It’s about being a part of the art scene and people caring. Thanks for all the years of supporting my artwork.”
WANT TO HELP?
Visit Vinny Lucarelli’s GoFundMe page at https://gf.me/v/c/33m/help-vinny-vinman-lucarelli-of-mission-beach.
