The Bird Series

Birds have been a constant presence in my works. I see them as a metaphor and commentary on the nature of transformation, flight and migration.

These works on paper are part of a series of paintings, works on paper, etchings and sculptures, connected to the public art commissions of “All night long we heard birds passing” at the Port of Miami, The Room of Migration Exhibition at Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, and The Gate of Earth at the Raleigh Durham Airport.

Related works can be seen under Earlier Works 2025-1997 Bird Series on my web page www.lydiarubio.com

 

Notes From the Earth

The essence of nature, whether represented by imperiled or stable elements, has been a consistent subject in my work; and a rich source open to interpretations. These universal archetypes, connected to age-old traditions of Eastern philosophy and Western alchemy, inspire and encourage reflection on perceptions beyond a current moment of chaos.

These works continue to explore approaches to color, and form combining expressions found in the Patagonia and Constellations series.  They can be seen as planar views, aerial views or maps. The first in the series of Notes.

Notes From the Sky

My interest in astrology and astronomy was sparked in 2022 by the discoveries of the James Webb Telescope. The series of drawings and paintings attempt to express the infinite depth and mystery of the Cosmos. Gold and silver marks and spiral shapes are overlayed by grids and geometric lines, representing the science of man trying to measure the immeasurable.

Notes From the Sea

TheNotes from the Seaemerged from an ongoing collaboration with Margorie Agosin, a poet from Chile. These works were published in the World Literature Today Journal in 2023 alongside Agosin’s text. Born in Cuba and growing up in Puerto Rico, the sea as well as the island, have always been present in my work.

The Fire Inside

This series of drawings continue an exploration of how to convey the connections between external and internal “landscapes” through art. The works depict nature through elements and translating them into personal emotions or reflections on cultural, environmental, and political circumstances. Many of the titles chosen for this series are inspired by James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time”, a powerful critique of racism. Fire can redeem or destroy.

Patagonia

A trip to the Chilean Patagonia in 2015 left me astounded. I was mesmerized by the simplicity and strength of nature, the vastness and the silence. This experience inspired me to simplify my work leading to a ten-year abstract interpretation of nature. Upon my return to the studio in Bogota, works flowed like a waterfall. Vocabulario was the first piece I created, a synthesis of the forms I had witnessed, followed by Aguas y Tierras which evoked aerial views of islands and fields.

 

I began the drawings with charcoal marks; on Indian handmade cotton paper, then added color using my own paint made of powdered pigments and resins. This allowed for large areas covered with watercolor like transparencies and detailed gouache accents.

 

These works were created in locations at corresponding latitudes, 70 degrees West; Punta Arenas Patagonia, and Bogota Colombia. This geographical coincidence served as the axis for a very significant series.

  • Aguas #1

    Aguas #1

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    Aguas #1

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  • Aguas #2

    Aguas #2

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    Aguas #2

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  • Tierra #1

    Tierra #1

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    Tierra #1

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  • Tierra #3

    Tierra #3

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    Tierra #3

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  • Island #1

    Island #1

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    Island #1

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  • Island #2

    Island #2

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    Island #2

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  • Island #3

    Island #3

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    Island #3

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Constellations

These ink drawings were created from a desire to develop a fundamental and minimal vocabulary made up of calligraphic gestures and geometry, applied since then in many other works on paper and paintings. These drawings have been an act of liberation. The titleConstellationsconnects to previous examples in poetry and art and refers to the inexplicable reality beyond us, the Cosmos.

Constructions and Encounters

Constructions and Encounterswere executed during months of the pandemic. Unlike glass ceilings, which limit the achievements of women, these works suggest struggles and clashes I have felt against invisible walls. They depict encounters of free gestures and geometric shapes, planes and grids, mapping opposite forces in art and life. The technique used is gouache and charcoal on hand made Amate paper from Oaxaca, Mexico.