ABOUT NÚRIA RIERA
Núria Riera is a visual artist. She was born in 1988 in a town near Barcelona. Recognized as a member of the National Watercolor Society (NWS) from the United States and awarded multiple times by the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours (RI) from London, her work stands out for her unique way of using watercolors and capturing the beauty of the everyday, she reveals the profound in the simple. Each piece is an invitation to pause and reflect on what surrounds us, often unnoticed.
AN INVITATION TO PAUSE
Núria’s journey as an artist began quite differently from most people’s stories. She was not the kid that was always drawing but was passionate about art and visiting museums from a young age. After pursuing a conventional path (university, 9-5 job…), she felt an unfulfilled void. At 27, she quit everything and with no Plan B, she enrolled full-time in an art academy to learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting. While studying art she discovered her true calling and no longer felt that void.
Núria moved to Tarifa, where she has setup her studio. There, between two seas and two winds, she found her voice. Núria feels very connected to water. Just like water carves its own path, Núria explores her unique way with watercolors. Núria aims to go to the essence of things in her artworks, painting only what is necessary, nothing less, nothing more.
As an habit open-water swimmer, Núria cares for the sea and its marine life , this is one of the reasons why she paints using watercolors, she feels they are more respectful to the oceans.
She prefers not to explain her works and lets the viewers discover the paintings through their own eyes. She chooses to speak through her art, not words.
Her paintings have been selected for exhibitions worldwide, being featured in international magazines and won awards, most recently in London. She has also been invited to different countries to teach workshops about her technique.
CV
Awards
2024 The President Choice Award, 212th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 The Dry Red Press Award, 212th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2023 Selected as Signature Member, National Watercolor Society, United States
2023 First place award in the Landscape and Water category, Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition, United States
2023 Judges Favorite Award from Awards Judge: Ali Cavanaugh, Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition, United States
2023 Selected work, 2023 NWS 103rd International Open Exhibition, California, United States.
2023 Finalist, Ynglada-Guillot Foundation in collaboration with Vila Casas Foundation, LX International Drawing Competition, Barcelona, Spain
2023 The Schmincke Prize for an outstanding work, 211th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, London
2023 Selected work for the 211th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2022 Honourable Mention, Yot Art Prize, Galería Artevistas, Barcelona
2021 Honourable Mention, Winsor & Newton Entre Grises, Spain
Group Shows and Selected Exhibitions
2025 Selected work for the Summer Exhibition of Hampstead Art Society, Gallery 8, London
2025 Selected work for the 213th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 Nominated to participate in the prestigious International Biennial Prize “Fabriano Watercolour 2024” Exhibition, Fabriano, Italy
2024 Selected work for the 212th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2023 National Watercolor Society 103rd International Open Exhibition, Los Angeles, United States
2023 LX International Drawing Competition Finalists Exhibition, Fundació Ynglada-Guillot with Fundació Vila Casas and Fundació Lluís Coromina, Barcelona
2023 Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, Mall Galleries, London
2022 Fabienne Yot y Galería Artevistas, online show, Barcelona
2019 Misnoma, Galería Mutuo, Barcelona
2018 Christmas Show and Market, Barcelona Academy of Art, Barcelona
Individual Shows
2024 ‘Núria RIera en el estudio / Núria Riera in her studio’. IV Open Studios, Tarifa (Spain)
2022 ‘Línea recta / Straight line’. Exhibition Hall of La Cárcel Real, Tarifa (Spain)
2021 ‘Trozos / Pieces’. Exhibition Hall of La Cárcel Real, Tarifa (Spain)
Education
2023 Workshop: Visual Story Telling with Nathan Fowkes, La Galería Roja, Sevilla (Spain)
2017 - 2019 Figurative Drawing and Painting Full Time Program, Barcelona Academy of Art, Barcelona
2006 - 2010 BSc in Business Administration, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona
Academic drawings by Núria Riera during her studies at Barcelona Academy of Art.