Artist Nella Lush creates richly layered work that feels both ancient and deeply personal. Discover more of her work by visiting her website.
“Il Passaggio” oil and cold wax, 40″ x 30″
Art has always been my refuge. It is my sacred place, something that has never failed me. As a child, I made things from whatever I could put my hands on. During summers with my grandparents, I gathered clay from the riverbank and built whatever came to mind. My hands had to get dirty. I needed to feel texture and connect physically with material. I did not know the language of art then, but I understood the urge to make something from whatever was available.
“MMXX” oil and cold wax, 36″ x 72″
I was born, raised, and educated in Italy. We did not go to museums or galleries, but in a way, it was not necessary. No matter where you are in Italy, you live inside an open museum. History is everywhere. You walk down a narrow street and notice a century-old fountain, its carved figures worn smooth by water and touch, or a stone doorway softened by time. I did not realize how much I was absorbing until later, when I began to see how deeply those early impressions shaped the way I work.
“Island in the Stream” oil and cold wax, 40″ x 40″
Our art is who we are. It reflects our personality and becomes an extension of us. So when people ask how long I have been an artist, I do not answer with a number. I think in terms of awareness. How long have I been paying attention? How long have I been listening to what moves me and refuses to let go?
“Terrae Stratis Before Becoming” oil and cold wax, 36″ x 72″
Over the years, my work has moved through different periods, and each one mattered. What ties everything together for me is texture. Texture feels lived. Every layer becomes a memory: a wall in Italy, my grandparents’ home, the porticoes of Bologna covered in graffiti, the tufi carparo stones of my parents’ house. I carve, scrape, collapse, and rebuild. I add poetry and symbols, often without knowing the meaning. They come from the same place as the child who first learned to communicate through touch and mark making.
“Grembiule” oil and cold wax, 24″ x 24″
I work with oils, cold wax, dry pigments, plaster, marble dust, and pumice, creating surfaces that feel unearthed, ancient, and scarred. I love working large, where I can lose myself completely. Recent series include Strati, inspired by what lies beneath earth and sea, and Searching for the Child in Me, which explores memory, vulnerability, and the persistence of my inner child.
“Terrae Stratis Where Time Rests” oil and cold wax, 60″ x 60″
When a piece leaves my studio, I imagine it taking on a life of its own. It makes me think about legacy, and about what I leave behind for my children. I want them to know how important it has been for me to live as my own person, and to remain faithful to the quiet, authentic voice within me.
“Wall of Dreams” fresco, 50″ x 40″
I often think of something an older friend once told me: that inspiration means being in spirit with. My work is my way of being in spirit with the builders and makers who came before me.
“Terrae Stratis” oil and cold wax, 60″ x 60″
Community is central to my practice. Over the years, my relationships with galleries and collectors have grown into meaningful friendships rooted in mutual respect and trust. More than ten years ago, I founded the New England Experimental Art Group, now over one hundred artists strong. Creating space for conversation, encouragement, and risk-taking reminds me that art is not made in isolation and gives my work continuity beyond the studio.