“Pick-up lines, the RuPaul finalists and monthly horoscopes”: Lucy Kirk’s illustrations for Grindr

Date
10 July 2017

“It’s crazy to be able to do something like drawing as a career but I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” says Lucy, a London-based ceramicist and illustrator.

In 2012, Lucy graduated with a degree in illustration from Brighton University and has since greatly developed her practice while working alongside various creative projects. Her latest and most prominent venture – which ties accordingly with It’s Nice That’s recent piece about Grindr’s Into magazine launch – has been a monthly illustration retainer for the publication. Her collaboration includes topical and colourful illustrations to go alongside content on the website, spanning across many exciting themes.

“I love the Into ethos of developing safe spaces – both physical and virtual – for the LGBTQ+ identity,” Lucy explains. “I also really enjoy the diversity of the current content; the articles are always fun, varied and informative which makes for great imagery ideas.” Ranging from “tongue-in-cheek” to “informative and cultural” articles, Grindr has supplied Lucy with an incredible base for inspiration. “I have created images to compliment articles about online pick-up lines, the RuPaul finalists and monthly horoscopes, as well as pieces such as How Nightlife is Healing My Queer Wounds,” she explains. “My most recent upcoming piece will be about a certain fetish, which is going to be exciting to draw. I always find the topics really inspiring and luckily the guys at Grindr give me a lot of creative freedom. I’m really enjoying the collaboration!”

Sat harmoniously alongside her illustrations, Lucy has managed to accomplish an excelled ceramic portfolio based on her surroundings. Stirring ideas from Staffordshire – a place well-known for its ceramic production in the early 17th century – the area has become a “constant influence” for her work. “I also have a huge archive of old historic photos, where the people and found imagery help to inform my poses and designs for 3D work. I love to make pieces about people or animals and I am looking to incorporate the two more,” she says.

“I have an upcoming all-female group exhibition in London on 20 July. My series of work for this focuses on strong women and girl gangs – I recently got a book called Snapshots of Dangerous Women which was the starting point for this idea. Think bad-ass babes and leather, with a mixture of ceramic pieces and one-off paintings.”

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk: Tattoo

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Lucy Kirk: Date

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Lucy Kirk: Horoscopes

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk: Date

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Lucy Kirk: Summer Babes

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Lucy Kirk: Date

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk: Date

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Lucy Kirk: Date

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk: Date

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Lucy Kirk

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Lucy Kirk: Angry Girls

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Lucy Kirk

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About the Author

Ayla Angelos

Ayla is a London-based freelance writer, editor and consultant specialising in art, photography, design and culture. After joining It’s Nice That in 2017 as editorial assistant, she was interim online editor in 2022/2023 and continues to work with us on a freelance basis. She has written for i-D, Dazed, AnOther, WePresent, Port, Elephant and more, and she is also the managing editor of design magazine Anima. 

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