Villeneuve. This designer has made witches the theme of her art.

A resident of Lurcy for two years, Nora has developed a passion for linocutting. This practice involves printing a work previously engraved on linoleum plates with gouges of varying sizes onto paper, either by hand or using a press.

"What I like about this technique is its very artisanal aspect. Engraving a plaque requires meticulousness and skill that is acquired little by little, and each work requires hours of engraving," assures the artist.

Then comes the moment of printing, "which brings its share of surprises": "In this technique, it's a bit like watercolor, there's always something that escapes us and we can't imagine everything in advance. It gives it a slightly magical side to discover what the lino plate will render."

Multiple prints can be made from the same lino plate. Nora explains: "To make a multi-color print, you need to layer several plates, each adding a color to the final print."

For Thursdays in July, the artist decided to present works centered around the image of the witch. "I read Mona Chollet's book ( The Undefeated Power of Women , published in 2018, editor's note) and since then, I have been engraving famous witches from mythology and other stories," says Nora.

Images of iconic women, both current and past, will also be on display. These include Circe, the sorceress who makes Odysseus' companions drink a potion that transforms them into pigs, and Txai Surui, the Amazon rainforest activist who rose to prominence during her speech at COP26 in Glasgow.

Instagram link: nora.linogravure. Nora will be exhibiting her work on Thursday, July 10th in Villeneuve.