| Copyright 2008 John Varriano, Artist All Rights Reserved |
| The Artist at work in his studio |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
John Varriano, a native New Yorker born into a family of artisans and builders, was taught to work with tools and
materials at a very young age. This allowed his ease with sculpting, freeform cement design, and direct application
oil painting to flourish.
From the time he was a child, John’s passion was the fine arts. After graduating from the High School of Art and
Design, he acquired a Degree in Engineering Technology and pursued a career in architecture and design. He
worked for years as an architectural draftsman and builder, until he made a commitment to his art in his late 20s.
John experimented for a few years with abstract expressionism and sculpture. His attraction to human form and
nature and his need to express figuratively and expressionistically, led him on his journey to discover and develop the
rudiments of his current style. Driven by his interest in NYC, John was propelled to create on the streets where
crowds of people, many future patrons, surrounded him while he painted. He became a known figure on the Upper
East Side and Central Park.
John has shown his work in galleries and other venues throughout New York City, Philadelphia, Palm Beach, and
Abu Dhabi including one man shows in 2001, 2003 and most recently in June 2009. In April 2010, John was honored
to have a showing of his paintings and give a lecture at the prestigious National Arts Club about his life and
influences as an artist. In winter, 2012 he exhibited in a retrospective titled The New York State of Mind at the Flinn
Gallery in Greenwich, CT and is presently showing at the Diego Salazar Gallery in Long Island City, NY.
John had the honor of being the juror for The Art Guild’s Gallery at Elderfields juried competition and exhibition. John's
work has been shown in Vanity Fair and several other corporate publications. John has also given back to the city
that has given him his inspiration. Pieces of his artistry have been donated to raise money for The Police and
Firemen’s Widow’s and Children’s Fund, RiverKeeper, the UJA Foundation, The Community Spirit Award, benefiting
the West Side YMCA and the Seaman's Church.
John has had the pleasure of completing large commissions of the New York Stock Exchange, and the landmark
restaurant, The Four Seasons. On January 30th 2009, John was featured in an article in the New York Times. He is
the second artist in history to have one of his paintings on the front page (Jasper Johns was the first). He has also
been featured in segments on Globo Television; the largest Portuguese station in the world and WNBC, which also
ran in NYC taxis. John has recently completed portraits of various people affiliated with The Four Season’s bar and
restaurant. They were exhibited in the restaurant’s lobby, which complimented the restaurant’s 50th anniversary.
John has been busy for the past several years with numerous portrait commissions and private art instruction, while
continuing his conceptual work. He is excited about his large ongoing project, linking ancient mythology with the
modern world, the first phase of which will be unveiled in 2013.
materials at a very young age. This allowed his ease with sculpting, freeform cement design, and direct application
oil painting to flourish.
From the time he was a child, John’s passion was the fine arts. After graduating from the High School of Art and
Design, he acquired a Degree in Engineering Technology and pursued a career in architecture and design. He
worked for years as an architectural draftsman and builder, until he made a commitment to his art in his late 20s.
John experimented for a few years with abstract expressionism and sculpture. His attraction to human form and
nature and his need to express figuratively and expressionistically, led him on his journey to discover and develop the
rudiments of his current style. Driven by his interest in NYC, John was propelled to create on the streets where
crowds of people, many future patrons, surrounded him while he painted. He became a known figure on the Upper
East Side and Central Park.
John has shown his work in galleries and other venues throughout New York City, Philadelphia, Palm Beach, and
Abu Dhabi including one man shows in 2001, 2003 and most recently in June 2009. In April 2010, John was honored
to have a showing of his paintings and give a lecture at the prestigious National Arts Club about his life and
influences as an artist. In winter, 2012 he exhibited in a retrospective titled The New York State of Mind at the Flinn
Gallery in Greenwich, CT and is presently showing at the Diego Salazar Gallery in Long Island City, NY.
John had the honor of being the juror for The Art Guild’s Gallery at Elderfields juried competition and exhibition. John's
work has been shown in Vanity Fair and several other corporate publications. John has also given back to the city
that has given him his inspiration. Pieces of his artistry have been donated to raise money for The Police and
Firemen’s Widow’s and Children’s Fund, RiverKeeper, the UJA Foundation, The Community Spirit Award, benefiting
the West Side YMCA and the Seaman's Church.
John has had the pleasure of completing large commissions of the New York Stock Exchange, and the landmark
restaurant, The Four Seasons. On January 30th 2009, John was featured in an article in the New York Times. He is
the second artist in history to have one of his paintings on the front page (Jasper Johns was the first). He has also
been featured in segments on Globo Television; the largest Portuguese station in the world and WNBC, which also
ran in NYC taxis. John has recently completed portraits of various people affiliated with The Four Season’s bar and
restaurant. They were exhibited in the restaurant’s lobby, which complimented the restaurant’s 50th anniversary.
John has been busy for the past several years with numerous portrait commissions and private art instruction, while
continuing his conceptual work. He is excited about his large ongoing project, linking ancient mythology with the
modern world, the first phase of which will be unveiled in 2013.