Aviva Uri studied dance with Gertrude Kraus. In 1943, she studied painting with Moshe Castel, continuing with David Hendler in 1944. Uri's expressive drawings focused on line and composition. Her abstract drawings link her to the "New Horizons" group, but suggest an alternative to the abstract art being created in the country: instead of oils, she created drawings on paper; instead of the professional mixing of colors, she used no coloration. She was influenced by Japan and China.