Mariana Varela studied Fine Arts at the National University in Bogotá, Colombia. She is considered one of the greatest exponents of drawing in Colombia. Her artistic practice explores the transformation of the landscape and the impact caused by human beings. Varela’s work explores the notion of what we understand as nature, not to save it or save us from it, but to ignite a change in the strange posture we have built of something that demands our attention and our commitment. Varela reconfigures areas and territories of contemporary design in her work. She uses hyperrealist drawing as her means of expression; a way of exploring and questioning reality, hybridizing the technical mastery linked to the tradition of drawing with a contemporary sensibility, evident in the choices of cinematographic shots that characterize her works. Varela has been awarded important distinctions such as Varela has been awarded important distinctions such as First Place in the Salón de Arte Joven, Museo de Zea – Medellín, Colombia, a Scholarship from the Colombian government to specialize in Printmaking at Taller 17, Paris, France; First Prize at the Salón Regional Zona Centro, Ibagué, Colombia. She was invited to participate in the First Art Salon Atenas in the Museum of Modern Art in Bogota, Colombia; First Prize II Salón de Arte Bidimensional FUGA, 35 Years; Scholarship from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation of New York, USA 2005-2006. In 2017, she was nominated for the most important contemporary art prize in Colombia, the  VII Luis Caballero Award.