Biography

Lucila Zentner is an Australian oil painter artist.
Lucila is best known for her exuberant florals; exploring repeating patterns in irreverent
colours, often in thick delineated outlines, building on a childhood love of Margaret Preston,
Gaugin and Van Gough. On a parallel track Lucila paints human characters in Kangaroo
costume who perform obscure narratives. These characters, based on family members,
were inspired by her young daughter in a mask that she made in primary school (seminal
piece was chosen for the Salon des Refuses 2022). Lucila also paints landscapes and
portraits, about 20 of which have been in National prize finals. In 2019-20 she was the
winner of the AGES Society Art Prize. Having lived a decade in regional Victoria and NSW, the
landscapes harken back to the Australian bush, where she and her husband started their
family and life together. She has work in the permanent collection of the Gippsland Art
Gallery (donated) and in the Lucas Community Centre Ballarat (commissioned) and the
Ballarat St John of God Hospital Ballarat (commissioned).
Lucila works in Medicine as a Radiologist and Nuclear Medicine Sprecialist; hence spends
100% of the time either interpreting or creating images.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
In the way one talks to a friend and takes pleasure in re-living a story;
I paint to prolong a moment.
Time is a Thief, and painting is my defence.
In the way one listens to sad music to cry;
I paint in protestation.
In the way one talks to a friend to make sense of something;
I paint to understand a subject.
In the way one enjoys life and beauty simply and without reference to anyone else,
I paint for the sheer love"
Lucila Zentner 2015
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BACKGROUND
Main Art Studio: Wahroonga, NSW
Regional Art Studio: Moama, NSW
Concurrent work: Consultant Radiologist and Nuclear medicine Specialist
AANMS Fellow: Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009
FRANZCR Fellow: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists 2008
MBBS (HONS) University Sydney 2000
BA (HONS) University Melbourne1993 
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EXHIBITION AND COMPETITION (recent history only)
2024
Solo Exhibition Surrender, Owen Dixon Chambers East (Melbourne)
2023
Solo Exhibition Seaview Gallery
Longlisted for Visual Artists Association (UK) professional prize: The tree at Mrs Macquarie's
point

Finalist National Capital Art Prize: Studio moments
Finalist Vincent Prize: Martin as Sherlock Holmes
Solo exhibition Purple Noon Gallery ' Impressions, Flowers and Landscapes in a moment'
2022 
Gippsland Art Gallery: Permanent collection 'After the Rain'
Finalist: John Leslie art prize
Finalist Basil Sellers art prize
Semi-finalist Doug Moran National Portrait prize
Solo Exhibition: My Flowers, Seaview Gallery Queenscliff 
Finalist: Kangaroo Valley art prize 'The land itself grew in shapes to mimic his art"
SALON DES REFUSES ('alternative' Archibald NSW) S.H Ervin Gallery National trust "Kangaroo
Dreaming"
Solo exhibition: Seaview Gallery Queenscliff VIC
Solo exhibition: Murrurundi, Michael Reid, NSW- Dancing Poppies 
2021
Finalist: Hawkesbury Art Prize: KANGAROO DREAMING
Finalist: Southern Buoy Landscape prize 'I closed my eyes and I could still see trees'
Solo exhibition: Dancing Poppies, Murrurundi Michael Reid 
Featured artist - A COUNTRY STYLE MAGAZINE “Picture this, Doctor-turned Artist draws on
her love of the country to create oil paintings that sing of Australia’
Group show with Michael Reid in conjunction with A Country Style Magazine
Finalist: The Vincent Prize ‘Monday’s dream’
Portrait used in back cover of published novel ‘Further Tales of a country Doctor’ by Dr Paul
Carter
2019-20 Winner AGES Society Art Prize