Niccy Pallant has spent the last 3 years immersed in the craft and culture of Morocco, initiated by a two month International Group Residency in Tetouan in Morocco’s North in 2017. After 25 yrs of working as an Arts educator and leader in South Australian schools, she has been able to pursue a lifelong dream to work as an Artist.
In 2018 & 2019, Niccy toured South Australian schools with ‘Hey Talisman’ and ‘Mizan Zaman’ a collaboration with Moroccan craftsman and scholar Hamza El Fasiki and Moroccan musician and artisan Imad Eddine Dably for Australia’s largest multi-platform arts festival, the Adelaide Fringe. They conducted workshops in Islamic art, sacred geometry, leather embossing and Sufi music for over 1500 students ranging from 5 to 18 yrs old.
Niccy’s work explores new mediums such as resin and abstract oil painting but she considers herself a print maker. She also conducts workshops and events for all ages from her Art School and Agency ‘Studio XXVI’ in Australia.
Niccy regularly returns to her base in Morocco to deepen her skills and understanding of traditional Moroccan crafts and culture. This included a scholarship with the Council for Arab Australia Relations for a project called ‘Rekindling – Islamic Artists Tour of Morocco’ in 2019.
An example of Niccy’s work is ‘Book of Prints’, which is 30 pages of printed and embossed paper in bound, embossed and crafted leather. It celebrates her ongoing apprenticeship with Hamza and other Moroccan artisans, her love of Morocco and printmaking.
More information about Niccy and Studio XXVI can be found on her website.