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The Artwork of Martin Varnedoe
Recent Works
2013 - 2017
These are the most recent works from my many trips to Italy.
The work is acrylic on canvas.
 View from the VillaThis was the view that could be seen from our balcony on Cortona, and the view was a panoramic vista of Tuscany. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |  Statue in CortonaOn this sunny day, our group decided to stroll around the city of Cortona. The person in the painting is my friend Charlotte who is admiring the gorgeous statue. 12x16 - acrylic on canvas |  Statuary in PisaThis is a beautiful statue that was right next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which you can partially see to the right in the painting. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |
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 Afternoon StrollThis is one of the landscapes that are found surrounding Cortona, Italy. These folks are two of my friends that were with me in Cortona, and I decided to take advantage of them in these enchanting surroundings. |  Street Cleaners' BreakThese gentlemen were cleaning the streets around a church in Syracusa, Sicily. I caught them on their afternoon break. 11x14 - acrylic on canvas |  Rome Street SceneOn a sunny afternoon, I noticed this gentleman was fascinated by a group of birds on a windowsill. It made for a lovely tableau. 11x14 - acrylic on canvas |
 Rome MusicianThis man plays the accordion on the streets to have money to feed his family. He was actually featured on a documentary on Rome that I watched on PBS! 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |  Still Life with FigsThe figs and lemons are very prevalent in Italy, and I decided to combine these with a bottle of wine that I brought back from Salina, Sicily. 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |  Roman Street SceneI found this scene when we were walking to the Vatican. The sun was shining on this wonderful bridge, and the peacefulness of the water was so calming. 12x16 - acrylic on canvas |
 The Arno River (Florence)While in Florence, we had a few minutes to walk over the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. The view from this bridge was so magnificent, with the sun shining on the scene. 12x16 - acrylic on canvas |  Vineyard OwnerWe were invited to come to this wonderful vineyard for a private tour, and wine tasting. The current owner, Nicolo Casini, shared a very interesting story of this vineyard. It had been in his family for 19 generations! All of the owners were women. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |  Ancient Fortress (Praiano, Italy)This was an ancient fortress of the Romans. It currently is a home for a local artist. The scenery around was breathtaking. 12x16 - acrylic on canvas |
 Spring Hillside (Praiano, Italy)The hillside in Praiano was filled with a wonderful palette of oranges and yellows, and was juxtaposed by these beautiful, blue-green rocks. 12x16 - acrylic on canvas |  A View From The Villa (Cortona)The villa we stayed in at Cortona was high above the Tuscan Valley. This was the view from my balcony, overlooking the entire area. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |  The Flute Player (Cortona)One early morning, I got up and went to the center of town, where the music could be heard a block away. As I entered the square, this beautiful woman was sharing her love of music. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |
 Early Morning at the MarketThe market was in Siracusa, Sicily. The sun was shining and seemed to create an illusion of fruit turning into jewels. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  TrinacriaThis is the symbol for Sicily. There are many varieties of this three-legged image. This was found on an old building, and the quality of this particular one was far superior to the ones that are being sold today. 12x12 - acrylic on canvas |  Cyclops di SiracusaThis was early one morning, and the sun rose to greet the rock formations known as Cyclops, which are actually formations of lava from Mt. Aetna. 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |
 Sicilian PassageA beautiful alleyway in Taormina, Sicily. The Sicilian flag was proudly displayed in front of a wine shop. 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |  September AfternoonThis beautiful afternoon took place in Salina, Sicily. This is the main street where people gather to simply enjoy each other and the beauty of their surroundings. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  The Lost BagThis was a coffee shop in Siracusa, Sicily. We had just sat down to enjoy our pastries, and I noticed an abandoned bag on the counter. The man to the right may have been waiting for the bag's owner to return, or was simply unaware of it being there. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |
 Monday Morning WindowMost people in Sicily hang their laundry out to dry naturally in the sun. Sometimes it looks like colorful flags, but in reality, it's just everyday family clothing. 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |  Festival del FuoccoI happened to be lucky enough when visiting the island of Stromboli to encounter the International Fire Festival. The island was in total darkness, and the arena where the festival was occurring was being illuminated by many groups competing for the top spot in the contest. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |  Siracusa AfternoonThe beaches in Siracusa are totally rocky. One has to wear water shoes upon entering the ocean. This did not stop the locals from enjoying a sunny afternoon. 36x48 - acrylic on canvas |
 The Wine MakerWhile in Salina, Sicily, we were invited on a tour of the Fenech Wineries. Francesco Fenech, the owner, had such passion in describing the wine making process. A print of tho painting now hangs in his winery. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  Isola BellaThis island is next to Taormina, Sicily. This was a sunny day when we took a stroll to this beach where locals sunbathed. THe island in the background has been abandoned for years and the foliage has repossessed the entire island. The surprising part is that all of the plants were imported, and not indigenous to the area. 36x48 - acrylic on canvas |  The Greek Temple At TaorminaThe ruins of the temple are still used today as a backdrop for many current concerts. In the background is Mount Etna, which is still an active volcano. 36x48 - acrylic on canvas |
 The Vegetable StandDuring a morning walk in Siracusa, we came upon a wonderful farmer's market. This particular vendor had the most beautiful fresh vegetables and took such pride in their presentation. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  The Cheese ShopThis gentleman makes his own cheeses and apparently they are some of the finest in Siracusa. Everyone was watching him lovingly select and cut his wares for sale. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  The Salina LighthouseDuring our tour of the island of Salina, we stopped at a winery and the view we experienced was of the Salina Lighthouse. In the background is the island of Stromboli, another active volcano exists there. 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |
 The Secluded BeachWe stumbled upon this tranquil setting during our tour of the island of Salina. The path led us down to an isolated cove with crystal clear, ice-blue water. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |  The Gift ShopThese flowers were found in a small gift shop in Taormina. The combination of the local ceramics and the vibrant flowers were a feast for the eyes. 16x20 - acrylic on canvas |  Old Church in SalinaThis was painted during my trip to Sicily, and was my first impression of the island of Salina. It was a vey peaceful setting. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |
 Festival Day in SalinaI had gone into this beautiful church in Salina and realized that there was a festival about to occur. These women were part of the procession and took a moment to reflect on the symbolic representation of the Virgin Mary. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  View of Oceanfront in TaorminaWhile in Taormina, we decided to take a walk down the rocky cliffs to the beach area. This is what came into view. 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |  Mountain View of Coastline, TaorminaThis was an abandoned villa with a spectacular view of the ocean and surrounding mountains. 11x14 - acrylic on canvas |
 The Fish Market; Siracusa, SicilyThis location was found was during a walk in Siracusa, and I was impressed by the pride of the men in their craft. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |  The Carriage DriverThis gentleman is from Malaga, Spain, and I was amazed by the care and pride he took in maintaining his carriage. 24x30 acrylic on canvas |  The Pistachio VendorWe were given a few minutes to explore downtown Malaga, Spain, and I came upon this vendor selling pistachios in paper cones. They were delicious! 18x24 - acrylic on canvas |
 The Street MusiciansThese folks were to be found in Seville, Spain. In conversation with the musicians, I found out that they were actually students who were students in a local college trying to raise some additional money for their schooling. 24x30 - acrylic on canvas |
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