Featured Artist: Nadia Lucchesi: Ground Floor Gallery

Nadia Lucchesi's latest exhibition of new lino prints sees her turn her distinctive illustrative style to the central subject of birds, many deeply symbolic across different cultures past and present, which appeals to Lucchesi's aesthetic interest in myth and classical stories. Cockerels, heron, peacocks, and more are depicted in deceptively simple, bold and brightly coloured prints. Nadia is influenced by mid-20th century illustration and decorative design, and a love of visual storytelling, and these prints have been produced in a spirit of experimentation, joy, and playfulness.

"Most of the lino prints in this exhibition have been created in the last 12 months, and the central theme of birds has developed organically in that time." Some of the birds hold personal meaning for the artist. The Heron for instance is a sign of hope; and the Golden Rooster a souvenir of a holiday in Portugal, where Lucchesi met one of these animals in a park: The 'Galo de Barcelos' is famously a national icon there. Other pictures - of Midas, the Sun and the Moon - come from a similar love of visual storytelling.

Every print is the result of multiple sketches as Lucchesi attempts to distil myriad ideas and compositions down into one simple, bold image. She is deeply influenced by mid-20th century illustration and design - editorial, textile and ceramic - as well as folk art, which often uses an apparently naive style, and bold colours and patterns.

These works are a mix of one-block reduction prints, and two-block prints which allow Nadia to overlap patterns and colours. "They were produced in a spirit of experimentation, joy, and playfulness, something I hope is conveyed in the finished work."

Nadia Lucchesi studied Illustration and Printmaking at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee, and has continued her creative practice ever since, producing personal work, editorial illustration and graphic design alongside a career in arts marketing. Her membership of Glasgow Print Studio, since 2017, has been instrumental in the development of her printmaking and professional practice. She had her first featured artist exhibition in its gallery in 2019.