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 in Japanese and English. In 2014 she was awarded the Thea Proctor Scholarship by the Julian Ashton Art School. She paints in both oils and watercolour. Lucy recently spent a year in the UK and travelled in Europe, spending time particularly 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, her watercolour paintings 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, was elected to be a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, founded in 1831.

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 and twice a semi-finalist in the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award in London.
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. Her paintings are all, in essence, an exploration of the inner emotional life of human beings. She 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 that captures a moment in the inner life of the figure portrayed

Lucy Pulvers Curriculum Vitae

Lucy Pulvers RI
Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours
(b. 1989 Japan)

​Affiliated Galleries: 19Karen Gallery, Queensland
​                             Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
                             Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
                              Musonium Gallery, Palm Springs USA
                              & Gallery, Sorrento, Victoria
                              Mavenira Gallery, Singapore
 
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: 
     2026              'Brocade' Group Exhibition, Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
     2026              214 th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Prize Mall
                            Galleries, London - Finalist exhibition
     2026              'Together Through Art' exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
     2025              'Ensemble' Group Exhibition, &Gallery, Sorrento, VIC
     2025               'Cafe Life' Solo Exhibition, Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
     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:
        2026           214 the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Prize - finalist,
                             Mall
        2026            Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Prize - Semi-Finalist
        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