Catching up with Alexia Tucker

Alexia Tucker and her pal Luna at The Electric Shop in Hay-On-Wye

A few months ago, we bade a sad farewell to one of our longest standing studio members and prolific illustrator Alexia Tucker, who's crossed the border over to Wales to pursue exciting new illustration ventures.  We caught up with her for a nosey around the new studio. 

'I have a studio/shop space in The Old Electric Shop in Hay-on-Wye.  It's a sort of collective of different creatives; there's a dress maker, upholsterer, and ever-changing artist exhibitions.  You can also peruse vintage clothes, vintage furniture, French linen and other bits and bobs!  We have a lovely cafe which makes it a real hub for people to come and explore the shop and enjoy a cup of tea out of the rain!'

Alexia recently returned to Bristol with a full alphabet of animals in tow, for her latest exhibition Wild Alphabet which continues at The Gallimaufry until Thursday 20 November.

A view from Alexia's new studio

'I work in the studio every weekday and some weekends, and we all do two days a month in running the shop.'

'It has been lovely having the opportunity to chat to people coming into the shop and hear feedback about what parts of my work they like and tell them the stories behind the images.  Luna the studio dog is loving all the attention she's been getting too!'

Hay-on-Wye

Views such as this one, which keep popping up on Alexia's Twitter page have got us feeling rather jealous.  'I'm looking forward to Christmas and the Hay Winter Festival as the town is a very jolly place to be at these times,' says Alexia.  ''Luna and I are enjoying our little escape to the countryside for a few months.  My plan is to really focus on certain projects and enjoy the simpler way of life until I return to Bristol.'

A selection of Alexia's foodie and animal cards and prints, available from her studio 

Hay-on-Wye's online cultural guide, Way-on-Hye recently featured a terrific article on Alexia's work and her recent move to Hay, which you can read here.

If you want to catch some of Alexia's work in Bristol, head over to The Gallimaufry to see her Wild Alphabet exhibition, or take a look at her Drawn in Bristol portfolio here.