Lucy Hardie’s Enchanting, Mysterious Pen and Ink Drawings

Australian artist Lucy Hardie’s pen and ink creations are crafted with a fine stippling technique, resulting in enchanting and surreal scenes. Mostly self-taught, the Melbourne-based artist cites H.J. Ford, Matthias Grunewald, Ivan Bilibin, and the Old Masters as influences. Hardie was last mentioned on HiFructose.com here.

There are spiritual and magical qualities to Hardie’s work, but perhaps the most arresting qualities lie in the textures emulated by Hardie’s pen and ink work. Whether it’s fabric, wooded backdrops, or human skin, Hardie’s fine dots compress and contract, bending around the needs of each subject. You can see this technique in a close-up of works like the above “The Protector,” ink on cotton paper.

The spiritual quality of Hardie’s work seems more rooted in mediumship than any overt nod to a single religion. Hardie, a great-granddaughter of a medium who led seances, creates works that often feel timeless—or at least, recalls 19th-century imagery and mystical fascination.

Hardie’s debut solo exhibition was unveiled in 2007 at Melbourne’s Synergy Gallery. It sold out on its opening night, and now the artist’s work has been seen across the world. Works are contained in private collections in her native Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., and Europe.