Cristina Rivera Lucioni

Biography

Rivera is a Melbourne-based artist born in South America, Chile. In her first year of university, she was introduced to Australian artist Mr. Dudley Drew who became her mentor over many years.​

​​Rivera is a romantic painter whose oil and pastel works vary in subject matter yet are cohesive in their poetic energy.
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“Oils allow me to push and pull the paint to its limits, and the multi-layering aspect of the creative process that leads the painting to take the form intended, is intensely satisfying.

The flexibility of oils provides endless possibilities for exploration within the one painting. Pastel medium is less forgiving but beautiful just the same.” 

Rivera’s artworks are intuitive phrases formed by colours, strong contrast and elements within her compositions. Whether it be a frenetic or mellow still life; serene or expressive seascape; a gestural depiction of human relationships or simply a portrait, the actual always romanticised via the exploration of all that is technical within and by her individual interpretation of the subject matter.

​The artist's early fascination with the works of the masters of Romanticism, John Constable and Karl Friedrich continue to influence her style.

Naturally, there are many artists past and present and of various disciplines from whom Rivera continues to draw inspiration, artists such as El Greco, Velazquez, Dudley Drew, Margaret Ollie, Arthur Streeton, Margaret Preston, Sidney Nolan, Carlos Catasse, Camilo Mori, Marie Bracquemond, Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun, Ariane Beigneux and an array of others, well known or otherwise.

​Rivera is a member of the Victorian Artists Society and has exhibited works in multiple Australian art shows in the last three years, Rivera continues to grow a demand for commissioned works and is represented in various private collections.