Lucija Zaja is a Sydney-based painter. She was born and raised in Croatia, but soon after obtaining her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture, she moved to Berlin. Berlin had a powerful influence during her twenties: its freedom of expression for everyone, its playfulness, and its rebellious history were a source of inspiration for Lucija’s further growth as an artist. In her work, Lucija is dedicated to exploring her mental landscape, her history and upbringing, and the constant battle between good and bad in our minds. All of these polarities transpire through Lucija’s work: delicate brushstrokes and gentle colors are opposed to tougher pencil, marker, and pastel lines, forming captivating visual representations of Lucija’s inner states. It shows the unpredictability of intense emotions and instincts juxtaposed to mundane requirements of everyday existence. She uses acrylic paint, soft and oil pastels, pencils, colored pencils, acrylic markers, and torn collage. So far she has exhibited in pop-up galleries in Berlin and Sydney.