Nelly Varela

Nelly del Carmen Toro Varela was born with a disability that was caused by the harmful medication that her mother took during pregnancy. Born on 13 April 1956 in Merida, since birth Nelly has had no use of her arms and hands. That was the reason why she began to use her feet for her daily tasks, as well as painting and drawing. She started school at the age of seven. At the age of twenty-eight, she wanted to study painting. She did various drawing projects such as Christmas cards and the lettering for diplomas and other things.

 She heard about the Association and was granted a scholarship in 1988. As a result, she was able to intensify her painting activities. In 2000 she became an Associate Member of the AMFPA. Nelly del Carmen Toro Varela predominantly paints Christmas motifs and landscapes from her home country. She prefers to paint in oil. Over the years she has presented her works to the public on the occasions of numerous exhibitions.