From a young age, Eva Armisén turned to drawing as a way to express herself and overcome shyness. What began as a form of personal escape gradually evolved into a profound artistic journey. Her early passion led her to pursue a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona, where she laid the foundation for her unique visual language. She also studied at the Rietveld Akademie in Amsterdam, expanding her horizons and deepening her understanding of international art practices.
Throughout her career, her artwork has remained rooted in one core idea: finding beauty in the ordinary. Her paintings often feature women, children, couples, and animals in simple domestic settings — walking in the rain, embracing under a tree, resting on a sofa, or looking out a window. These everyday scenes, though familiar, are rendered with such intimacy and affection that they seem to glow with a quiet, universal truth. Her figures, with their wide eyes and soft expressions, evoke a sense of peace, love and nostalgia.
One of the most distinctive aspects of her work is the integration of handwritten words or short phrases directly into her paintings. These snippets — often reflective or tender — enhance the emotional connection between the artwork and the viewer. Rather than depicting grand or dramatic scenes, she invites her audience to pause and reflect on the small, often overlooked moments that shape our lives.
Over the years, Armisén’s art has crossed cultural boundaries and found an especially strong resonance in Asia. She has held exhibitions in cities around the world, including Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei, Lisbon, Los Angeles, and Melbourne. Her popularity in South Korea has led to her being affectionately known as “The Painter of Happiness,” a fitting title given the uplifting nature of her work.
In recent years, her artistic presence has been growing steadily in Florida, where she has participated for the past few years in Art Miami and Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, through her ongoing collaborations with Markowicz Fine Art and Olea Gallery. Her creative footprint extends to public art installations, television, film, and major brand collaborations with Nike, Coca-Cola, and tourist buses in NYC, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Washington D.C.
She’s also a published author and illustrator, with bestsellers like Mom Is A Haenyeo — a tribute to the legendary Korean female divers — which is now in its 25th edition and translated into 5 languages. In fact, she played a key role in the global campaign to recognize the Haenyeo as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Thanks in part to the cultural spotlight her work helped bring, UNESCO granted the official designation in 2016.
Behind the scenes, her love for family — so often depicted in her work — lives at the heart of her creative life. “My mother is essential,” Armisén shares. “She’s the reason I never gave up.” Her sister is not only her right hand but also her manager and closest collaborator, showing that the bonds she paints are the same ones that support and surround her in real life. Her daughter, in turn, inspires her to see the world through fresh eyes. This family-first ethos brings authenticity and emotional depth to everything she creates.
In 2022, she returned to her hometown of Zaragoza in Spain for a major exhibition titled Alegría. The show featured more than 200 pieces — including paintings, ceramics and sculptures — and was divided into thematic spaces that reflected various stages of her expansive artistic and personal evolution, exploring a wide variety of themes such as motherhood, resilience and everyday love. The exhibition was a celebration not only of her career, but of the joy she consistently seeks to share with her audience around the world.
Despite her international success, the artist’s work remains refreshingly grounded. She continues to focus on the emotional undercurrents of everyday life — how we love, how we remember, how we endure. Her art doesn’t shout; it whispers gently, inviting the viewer to pause, breathe, and reconnect with their own lived experiences.
In a world often consumed by complexity and chaos, her work offers a welcome return to the small, honest pleasures of daily life. Through her colorful canvases and heartfelt collaborations, she reminds us that joy is not found in grand gestures, but in the quiet moments that make us feel truly alive; EvaArmisen.com.
