About Lucy
Lucy was born in Kyoto, Japan and grew up in both Tokyo and Kyoto with her two older sisters, also artists, and her older brother. She was educated in Japanese schools until she moved to Sydney in 2001 and is bilingual and bicultural in Japanese and English. In 2014 Lucy was awarded the Thea Proctor Scholarship by the Julian Ashton Art School. Lucy paints in both oil and watercolour. Lucy recently spent a year in the UK and travelled in Europe, particularly spending time in Germany. This was an intense period of looking at art, as well as painting and drawing while living in London. Every year since 2019, watercolour paintings by Lucy have been selected for inclusion in the annual Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours exhibit in London. In the 2020 watercolour exhibition, a self-portrait was awarded the ‘President’s Choice Award’. In 2024, Lucy received the 'Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award'.
In April 2025, Lucy was elected to be a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.
Lucy exhibits regularly and has been a finalist twice in the Portia Geach Portraiture Prize, a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize, a semi-finalist in the BP Portraiture Prize in London and more recently, a finalist in the Blake Prize.
Lucy is essentially a figure painter and portrait artist. All of her artistic work is rooted in her relationship to line and drawing as the foundation of her paintings, both in watercolour and oils.
Lucy’s paintings are all, in essence an exploration of the inner emotional life of human beings. Lucy uses geometry, strong colour and bold lines to give her works an emotional power. These elements of colour and line are woven together to synthesise a surface world which captures a moment in the inner life of the figure portrayed. Japanese aesthetic culture has had a major impact on Lucy's work as she spent her childhood there and began to develop as an artist in Japan. In many traditional Japanese portraits, the face and hands are the elements that give expression to the inner life of the figure. The clothing of the figure, however, is often full of volume, geometry, colours and symbols which tell the story of the figure. Lucy is also fascinated by Kabuki and Noh theatre, where emotional climaxes in the drama are often expressed in frozen moments. The ‘mie’ in Kabuki is when the actor poses motionless but with extreme energy, bathed in dramatic lighting so the whole theatre holds its breath in the moment.
More recently, Lucy's long-standing fascination with Greek and Roman mythology has developed into a theme for a series of new works. Lucy is also now consistently producing larger works in oil on linen. Lucy is enjoying being able to express herself in much larger compositions.
Lucy studied classical voice and piano as a child, and music is also a very important influence on her work. Like music, Lucy’s work is an emotional expression rather than a didactic statement, with the emotional quality expressed through colour, line and form.
Lucy Pulvers Curriculum Vitae
Lucy Pulvers RI
Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours
(b. 1989 Japan)
Affiliated Galleries: 19Karen Gallery, Gold Coast
Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
Musonium Gallery, Palm Springs USA
Education:
2018-9 Living and Painting in London
2012-2016 Attended Julian Ashton Art School
2014 Thea Proctor Scholarship from Julian Ashton Art School
Exhibitions:
2025 'Homage to Turner' Group Exhibition, West End Art Space,
Melbourne
2025 'Filling the Void': Amalgamation Group Exhibition, Musonium Gallery,
Palm Springs USA
2025 'Beyond the Prize' Finalist exhibition - Mall Galleries, London
2025 213 th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize Mall
Galleries, London - Finalist exhibition
2025 'Connecting and Connections' IAC Group Exhibition, Western Sydney University
2024 Buddhist and Multicultural Art in Australia Symposium, group exhibition, Art Gallery NSW
2024 'July Brilliance' Group Exhibition, Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
2024 212th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist
exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 'Cafe People' mini solo exhibition - 19Karen Gallery
2023 Hunters Hill Art Prize 2023- Finalist exhibition, Sydney
2023 'Syncopation' solo exhibition - Audrey Fine Art, Sydney
2023 'Pianofore' solo exhibition - Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
2023 'May Flowers Inspire Joy' group exhibition - Princes Art Gallery, Sydney
2023 211th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist
exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2022 - 2023 'The Tapestry of Me' group exhibition - Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
2022 'Shikisai' group exhibition - Audrey Fine Art, Sydney
2022 Four paintings on exhibit with 19Karen Gallery in Sofitel Broadbeach Hotel, QLD
2022 'Sisters' exhibition - Aarwun Gallery
2022 210th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2022 International Woman's Day Group Exhibit - Sutton Village Gallery
2021 'A Glassy Affair' December exhibition - Audrey Fine Art Gallery
2021 Whitewall Art Projects Gallery - 'Into the Light' exhibit finalist,
Berrima
2021 'The Vincent' Prize Finalist exhibition - DuckRabbit Gallery, Redfern
2021 209th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours -three paintings
included in finalists
exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2021 'Three Sisters' Exhibition - Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
InterContinental Hotel, Double Bay
2020 Persistence Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
Surrey Hills
2020 208th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours -finalist exhibition,
Mall Galleries, London
2020 Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art Sydney,
InterContinental Hotel
Double Bay
2020 Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art Sydney
Gallery, Surrey Hills
2019 Mosman Art Prize -finalist exhibition, Mosman Art Gallery
2019 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours -finalist exhibition, Mall
Galleries, London
2018 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist exhibition
2018 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
2017 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist exhibition
2017 'Pulvers Art' Exhibition at Willoughby Town Council Foyer,
Chatswood
2017 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
2017 'Pulvers Art' Exhibition at Art Space Concourse, Chatswood
2016 Pymble Ladies College Centenary Exhibition
2016 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibiton
2016 Sydney Royal Easter Show – Three Sisters Group Exhibit, Cattle
Pavilion
2015 ‘Three Sisters’ Group exhibition, Landship Gallery, Georges Heights,
Sydney
2015 Julian Ashton Art School Annual Exhibit, Pitt St, Sydney
2015 Julian Ashton Art School –Annual ‘9x5’ exhibition, Georges
Heights
2015 Sydney Royal Easter Show – Three Sisters Group Exhibit, Cattle
Pavilion
2014 Julian Ashton Art School Annual Exhibit, Pitt St, Sydney
2014 Julian Ashton Art School –Annual ‘9x5’ exhibition, Sydney
2013 Julian Ashton Art School Annual Exhibit, Pitt St, Sydney
2013 Three Sisters Art Exhibit at Concourse Art Space, Chatswood, Sydney
2013 Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize – finalist exhibition, Lane Cove
Gallery, Sydney
2013 SKA Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Federation Square, Melbourne
2012 Cowra Japanese Peace Garden Gallery exhibition, month of September
2010 Pymble Art Gallery, Artist on exhibition
2009-2010 Kiku Arts Gallery, Bungendore NSW Artist on exhibition
Award and Prizes:
2025 Elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
2025 Le Noeud Papillon Self-Portrait Prize - First Prize
2025 'Beyond the Prize' exhibition Mall Galleries, London - Finalist
2025 213 the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist,
Mall
Galleries, London
2024 National Contemporary Art Prize - Finalist
2024 'Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award' - 211th Royal Institute of
Painters in Water Colours exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 212 th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2023 Hunters Hill Art Prize 2023 - Finalist
2023 International Watercolour Masters 2024 - finalist
2023 211 th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2022 210th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2022 The 67th Blake Prize - finalist, Casula Powerhouse
2021 Luxembourg Art Prize - Certificate of Merit
2021 Whitewall Art Projects Gallery - 'Into the Light' exhibit finalist,
Berrima
2021 'The Vincent' Prize - People's Choice Award Winner, DuckRabbit
Gallery, Redfern
2020 Persistence Art Prize - First Prize, Live in Art Sydney Gallery, Surrey
Hills
2020 Persistence Art Prize - finalist, Live in Art Sydney Gallery, Surrey
Hills
2020 'President's Choice Award' 208th Royal Institute of Painters in
Watercolour, Mall Galleries,
London
2020 208th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour -finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2020 Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist, Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
Surrey Hills
2019 Mosman Art Prize -finalist
2019 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours -finalist, Mall Galleries,
London
2018 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist
2018 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
2018 BP Portraiture Prize - semi-finalist
2017 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist
2017 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
2016 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
2014 Lethbridge Small Works – finalist
2013 Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize, finalist
2013 SKA Art Prize, finalist
2010 Wetland Care Australia National Art Competition 3rd Prize
Texts:
2022 Book cover ‘The Government Inspector’ Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2022 Book cover ‘The Boy of the Winds’ Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2020 Book cover ‘Poems 2020’ Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2020 Book Cover, 'Element” Jordie Albiston (winner of The Patrick White
Literary Award 2019), Puncher & Wattmann.
2019 ‘Barkwoofggrrr!' Children’s poetry book illustration, Jordie Albiston,
Little Barrow Press
2019 Book Cover,“The Unmaking if an American” Roger Pulvers, Balestier
Press
2018 Book Cover,“Liv” Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2015 ‘You Can’t Catch a Tiger by his Tale’ Children’s book illustration
2015 Book Cover,“The Poetry of Takuboku”Kawade Shobo
2012 Kenji Miyazawa book published by Shueisha, illustrations
2012 “Something Buzzing...” e-book illustrations
2010-2013 Phasminda Publishing e-book illustrations
In April 2025, Lucy was elected to be a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.
Lucy exhibits regularly and has been a finalist twice in the Portia Geach Portraiture Prize, a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize, a semi-finalist in the BP Portraiture Prize in London and more recently, a finalist in the Blake Prize.
Lucy is essentially a figure painter and portrait artist. All of her artistic work is rooted in her relationship to line and drawing as the foundation of her paintings, both in watercolour and oils.
Lucy’s paintings are all, in essence an exploration of the inner emotional life of human beings. Lucy uses geometry, strong colour and bold lines to give her works an emotional power. These elements of colour and line are woven together to synthesise a surface world which captures a moment in the inner life of the figure portrayed. Japanese aesthetic culture has had a major impact on Lucy's work as she spent her childhood there and began to develop as an artist in Japan. In many traditional Japanese portraits, the face and hands are the elements that give expression to the inner life of the figure. The clothing of the figure, however, is often full of volume, geometry, colours and symbols which tell the story of the figure. Lucy is also fascinated by Kabuki and Noh theatre, where emotional climaxes in the drama are often expressed in frozen moments. The ‘mie’ in Kabuki is when the actor poses motionless but with extreme energy, bathed in dramatic lighting so the whole theatre holds its breath in the moment.
More recently, Lucy's long-standing fascination with Greek and Roman mythology has developed into a theme for a series of new works. Lucy is also now consistently producing larger works in oil on linen. Lucy is enjoying being able to express herself in much larger compositions.
Lucy studied classical voice and piano as a child, and music is also a very important influence on her work. Like music, Lucy’s work is an emotional expression rather than a didactic statement, with the emotional quality expressed through colour, line and form.
Lucy Pulvers Curriculum Vitae
Lucy Pulvers RI
Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours
(b. 1989 Japan)
Affiliated Galleries: 19Karen Gallery, Gold Coast
Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
Musonium Gallery, Palm Springs USA
Education:
2018-9 Living and Painting in London
2012-2016 Attended Julian Ashton Art School
2014 Thea Proctor Scholarship from Julian Ashton Art School
Exhibitions:
2025 'Homage to Turner' Group Exhibition, West End Art Space,
Melbourne
2025 'Filling the Void': Amalgamation Group Exhibition, Musonium Gallery,
Palm Springs USA
2025 'Beyond the Prize' Finalist exhibition - Mall Galleries, London
2025 213 th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize Mall
Galleries, London - Finalist exhibition
2025 'Connecting and Connections' IAC Group Exhibition, Western Sydney University
2024 Buddhist and Multicultural Art in Australia Symposium, group exhibition, Art Gallery NSW
2024 'July Brilliance' Group Exhibition, Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
2024 212th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist
exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 'Cafe People' mini solo exhibition - 19Karen Gallery
2023 Hunters Hill Art Prize 2023- Finalist exhibition, Sydney
2023 'Syncopation' solo exhibition - Audrey Fine Art, Sydney
2023 'Pianofore' solo exhibition - Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
2023 'May Flowers Inspire Joy' group exhibition - Princes Art Gallery, Sydney
2023 211th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist
exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2022 - 2023 'The Tapestry of Me' group exhibition - Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
2022 'Shikisai' group exhibition - Audrey Fine Art, Sydney
2022 Four paintings on exhibit with 19Karen Gallery in Sofitel Broadbeach Hotel, QLD
2022 'Sisters' exhibition - Aarwun Gallery
2022 210th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2022 International Woman's Day Group Exhibit - Sutton Village Gallery
2021 'A Glassy Affair' December exhibition - Audrey Fine Art Gallery
2021 Whitewall Art Projects Gallery - 'Into the Light' exhibit finalist,
Berrima
2021 'The Vincent' Prize Finalist exhibition - DuckRabbit Gallery, Redfern
2021 209th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours -three paintings
included in finalists
exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2021 'Three Sisters' Exhibition - Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
InterContinental Hotel, Double Bay
2020 Persistence Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
Surrey Hills
2020 208th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours -finalist exhibition,
Mall Galleries, London
2020 Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art Sydney,
InterContinental Hotel
Double Bay
2020 Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art Sydney
Gallery, Surrey Hills
2019 Mosman Art Prize -finalist exhibition, Mosman Art Gallery
2019 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours -finalist exhibition, Mall
Galleries, London
2018 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist exhibition
2018 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
2017 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist exhibition
2017 'Pulvers Art' Exhibition at Willoughby Town Council Foyer,
Chatswood
2017 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
2017 'Pulvers Art' Exhibition at Art Space Concourse, Chatswood
2016 Pymble Ladies College Centenary Exhibition
2016 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibiton
2016 Sydney Royal Easter Show – Three Sisters Group Exhibit, Cattle
Pavilion
2015 ‘Three Sisters’ Group exhibition, Landship Gallery, Georges Heights,
Sydney
2015 Julian Ashton Art School Annual Exhibit, Pitt St, Sydney
2015 Julian Ashton Art School –Annual ‘9x5’ exhibition, Georges
Heights
2015 Sydney Royal Easter Show – Three Sisters Group Exhibit, Cattle
Pavilion
2014 Julian Ashton Art School Annual Exhibit, Pitt St, Sydney
2014 Julian Ashton Art School –Annual ‘9x5’ exhibition, Sydney
2013 Julian Ashton Art School Annual Exhibit, Pitt St, Sydney
2013 Three Sisters Art Exhibit at Concourse Art Space, Chatswood, Sydney
2013 Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize – finalist exhibition, Lane Cove
Gallery, Sydney
2013 SKA Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Federation Square, Melbourne
2012 Cowra Japanese Peace Garden Gallery exhibition, month of September
2010 Pymble Art Gallery, Artist on exhibition
2009-2010 Kiku Arts Gallery, Bungendore NSW Artist on exhibition
Award and Prizes:
2025 Elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
2025 Le Noeud Papillon Self-Portrait Prize - First Prize
2025 'Beyond the Prize' exhibition Mall Galleries, London - Finalist
2025 213 the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist,
Mall
Galleries, London
2024 National Contemporary Art Prize - Finalist
2024 'Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award' - 211th Royal Institute of
Painters in Water Colours exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 212 th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2023 Hunters Hill Art Prize 2023 - Finalist
2023 International Watercolour Masters 2024 - finalist
2023 211 th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2022 210th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize - finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2022 The 67th Blake Prize - finalist, Casula Powerhouse
2021 Luxembourg Art Prize - Certificate of Merit
2021 Whitewall Art Projects Gallery - 'Into the Light' exhibit finalist,
Berrima
2021 'The Vincent' Prize - People's Choice Award Winner, DuckRabbit
Gallery, Redfern
2020 Persistence Art Prize - First Prize, Live in Art Sydney Gallery, Surrey
Hills
2020 Persistence Art Prize - finalist, Live in Art Sydney Gallery, Surrey
Hills
2020 'President's Choice Award' 208th Royal Institute of Painters in
Watercolour, Mall Galleries,
London
2020 208th Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour -finalist, Mall
Galleries, London
2020 Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist, Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
Surrey Hills
2019 Mosman Art Prize -finalist
2019 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours -finalist, Mall Galleries,
London
2018 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist
2018 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
2018 BP Portraiture Prize - semi-finalist
2017 Portia Geach Portraiture Prize -finalist
2017 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
2016 Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
2014 Lethbridge Small Works – finalist
2013 Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize, finalist
2013 SKA Art Prize, finalist
2010 Wetland Care Australia National Art Competition 3rd Prize
Texts:
2022 Book cover ‘The Government Inspector’ Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2022 Book cover ‘The Boy of the Winds’ Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2020 Book cover ‘Poems 2020’ Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2020 Book Cover, 'Element” Jordie Albiston (winner of The Patrick White
Literary Award 2019), Puncher & Wattmann.
2019 ‘Barkwoofggrrr!' Children’s poetry book illustration, Jordie Albiston,
Little Barrow Press
2019 Book Cover,“The Unmaking if an American” Roger Pulvers, Balestier
Press
2018 Book Cover,“Liv” Roger Pulvers, Balestier Press
2015 ‘You Can’t Catch a Tiger by his Tale’ Children’s book illustration
2015 Book Cover,“The Poetry of Takuboku”Kawade Shobo
2012 Kenji Miyazawa book published by Shueisha, illustrations
2012 “Something Buzzing...” e-book illustrations
2010-2013 Phasminda Publishing e-book illustrations
