Nicoletta Ceccoli
About
Nicoletta Ceccoli is a San Marinese artist born in 1973 in the Republic of San Marino, where she continues to live and work. She studied animation at the Institute of Art in Urbino, Italy, spending seven years there, with her final two years focused on animation, inspired by the Renaissance surroundings and artists like Piero della Francesca. Beginning her career as an illustrator in 1995 while still a student, her work was selected for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, leading to commissions from US publishers. She has illustrated over 30 children’s books for clients including Random House, Mondadori, Simon & Schuster, and Feltrinelli, as well as projects for Vogue, United Airlines, Macy’s, animated films like 'La Mécanique du Cœur,' advertisements, magazines, and album covers. Her richly detailed, dreamlike style blends innocence with darker surreal themes, often featuring dolls and toys, reflecting her lifelong fascination with these 'mysterious, silent creatures.'
Pop Surrealism with dreamlike, richly detailed imagery exploring innocence, fragility, love, loss, and psychological tension
Selected Exhibitions
- Inflorescence, Magic Pony, Toronto (2007)
- By the time you are Real, Richard Goodall Gallery, Manchester (2008)
- Babes in toyland, CoproNason Gallery, Santa Monica (2009)
- Incubi Celesti, Dorothy Circus Gallery, Rome (2010)
- Eye Candy, AFA Gallery, New York (2012)
- Sweet and Low, AFA Gallery, New York (2014)
- Play With Me, AFA Gallery, New York (2016)
- Hide and Seek, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles (2017)
- Relazioni pericolose, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles (2019)
- Scary Faery Tales, ERARTA Museum, St. Petersburg (2021)
- Handle with care, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles (2022)
- Risvegli, 59th Venice Biennale, Venice (2022)
Awards
- Andersen Prize (2001)
- Society of Illustrators of New York
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence (five times)