The Artwork of Martin Varnedoe
about Martin Varnedoe
Artist Martin Varnedoe is recognized for his ability to capture the beauty of ordinary people, in everyday situations and in extraordinary settings. His works, which range from portraits to landscapes, hang in private collections and in public spaces throughout the United States, and now Sicily, Spain and Mexico.
His body of work called "Impressions of Italy" was shared with several hundred people at an exhibit that was held at The Ethical Society building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in late 2011. Varnedoe is currently working on a new series titled "A Trip to Sicily" which is based on his experiences there in 2013. The event is to be held October 16th, 2015, again displayed at The Ethical Society building.
Current Work
Varnedoe devotes his time to traveling and capturing his impressions and experiences on canvas. He retired in 2013 from his position as a broker for the specialty foods industry, which he held for 31 years to support his art. Representing foods from around the world whetted his appetite for travel, which he’s now free to pursue.
Professional Experience
Varnedoe’s work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibits in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York City and Savannah, Georgia.
Even while working full-time as a specialty foods broker, he was fortunate to receive many commissions and to complete his first series of paintings, Impressions of Italy, in 2011. That year he shared this collection with several hundred people at the Ethical Humanist Society.
A memorable solo exhibit at New York’s Grand Finale in 1980 generated rave reviews. It featured images recalled from his Georgia roots. The New York Post said, "(It) lights up your eyes and memories..." and New York’s East Side Express described Varnedoe as "a trained, sophisticated artist who keeps in touch with reality.”
His most notable portrait is of renowned Hungarian-born pianist Lili Kraus. It was displayed at New York’s Lincoln Center in 1979 and now hangs in the Kraus family’s permanent collection.
Education and Training
Varnedoe graduated from New York City’s Pratt Institute in 1979 with a master’s degree in painting. He also studied at the Art Students League in Manhattan.
Varnedoe holds a BS Ed. in Art Education from Georgia Southern College, where he graduated in 1973. While a student, his music teacher, Dr. Sterling Adams, commissioned him to do a reproduction of Canaletto's Rialto Bridge. The work ignited his desire to visit Italy, which finally became a reality nearly 30 years later.
After graduating, Varnedoe taught art and music classes in the Ware County School System in Waycross, Georgia for three years before moving to Brooklyn, New York to pursue a master’s degree. During this time he also participated in group shows in southeast Georgia.
Southern Roots
Varnedoe was born in Augusta, Georgia and grew up in Claxton. He started drawing at an early age and was particularly fascinated by the use of color. His parents recognized his budding talent and encouraged him to chase his dream. To further his interest in artwork, they took him to Savannah to study watercolor under the famous Savannah artist Myrtle Jones.
Faraway places made for lots of daydreaming during the young artist’s formative years. He
was intrigued by a family book on Pompeii and dreamed of visiting there one day.
Movies also played a large part in his desire to travel abroad. Rome Adventure and Roman Holiday were, and still are, two of his favorites. Both made lasting impressions on him because they were filmed on location in Italy.
He began exhibiting in the area, having solo exhibits that included John Wanamaker's Gallery in 1980. He also returned to his roots with an exhibit at the Savannah College of Art, Savannah, Georgia in that same year.
In Varnedoe’s Words
"My work is a visual pilgrimage into memory, nostalgia, nature, and the spirit of people. My current style focuses on European imagery, culled from my trips abroad. My subject matter includes Italy and Spain, focusing most recently on Sicily.
My painting style has evolved over the years. Many years ago I was attracted to the photorealism technique. Then, during my Pratt years, I was guided and nurtured by my professor Nan Benedict. Through her encouragement, my work evolved into a more imaginary style, where my paintings existed as a visionary world of my own creation. I created forms that blended into atmosphere, and rendered atmosphere that crystallized into form.
My first trip to Europe was in 2003, where I visited Italy. I fell in love with the country the moment I arrived. Returning again in 2008 confirmed my first impression that Italians seem to live life with a constant sense of joy! I was humbled by this.
This same feeling came over me when I visited Spain in 2011. The beauty of the countryside, its antiquities and its people awed me. I found the people I met to be very proud of their past, yet possessed of a marvelous ability to live for today.
For nearly 30 years, I’ve also visited various places in Mexico. There have been many memorable trips to Puerto Vallarta. I’m always impressed with the tropical colors, the vibrancy of the surroundings and the love I feel from the people. My trips to Mexico continue to inspire me to look for subject matter that exemplifies the culture’s richness. The landscapes instill in me a deep, meditative feeling.
These countries are filled with magnificent visual feasts for the eyes. There is intense beauty in their histories and their vibrant people. I desire to capture the images I experience and recreate those images on canvas. I want to share with the viewer the beauty I find in simple, everyday situations - the people on the streets, the beauty in their faces and the loveliness of their surroundings.
Nostalgia also plays a large part in my work. Even though my paintings are of modern times, I long for a simpler world - like in the movies of yesteryear, where life was slower and more innocent. I hope to create for the viewer a sense of those times, where life seems frozen in time, if only for a second."