Lydia Rubio is a multidisciplinary visual artist. Born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico, she is the third generation of women painters in her family. Her 43-year studio practice started in New York City. After years based in Miami and Bogota, she now lives in Hudson, New York. Her work consists of paintings, unique journals and large site-specific installations. Painting is at the core of her practice, primarily based on a conceptual system, not a fixed style.
Photo by S.J. Williams
For more information about Lydia and her work, please visit lydiarubio.com
Drawing is a dance between the tool and the paper, it is the quickest way for an artist to make ideas and perceptions visible, following an intuitive flow from an abstract mindset to a sudden and sometimes surprising result. The series “Constellations” exemplifies this approach. Drawing has been a sensual and cathartic tool in my practice, driven by a desire to achieve a synthesis of thought and image. When I draw, I feel like I am playing the piano with four hands.
These selected pieces represent a ten-year exploration of an abstract vocabulary inspired by nature, which began in 2015 after my trip to Patagonia. The works offered connect to each other and to the subject of nature and the elements. The “Constructions and Encounters”, and "The Fire Inside" represent conflicts and clashes expressive of struggles in life and art.
Working with my own powdered-pigment paints has allowed me build worlds through color, drenching the page with layers of paint and adding calligraphic marks. I saw that colors could identify an element – fire as red, earth as ochre… I followed this approach to color in larger oil paintings. “Notes from the Earth”, “Notes from the Sea”, “Notes from the Sky”, and “The Fire Inside” exemplify this technique. Most works are done on unique and antique handmade papers, ranging from 10 to 36 inches high.
I invite you to join the dance.
