Maria Stuarda Varetti’s quirky ‘portraits’ of animals, most often dogs, are painted with both a great sense of humour and a refined technique. Using a fine brush Varetti painstakingly applies oil paint in tiny strokes to board creating paintings of animals in the most curious of surroundings – placed inside an antique chest or strolling around the beautiful medieval walled city of Luca in Tuscany. Each painting captures something unique about its sitter whether it be the curiosity of a white terrier or the strength and bravery of a Rottweiler.
We the viewer are invited to look and enjoy her work. There is no need to over complicate matters; her paintings are pure pleasure for the eyes. Cries of delight and surprise are often to be heard at an exhibition of Varetti’s work. Her eventful and colourful life and joie de vivre are implicit in very painting. This is an artist who truly paints for the love of her art.