Nicky is an artist, designer and lecturer based in the North West of England. Since 1994 he has owned and managed Chester boutique studio Lemondrop Creative. In 2017 his illustrations for Marvellous Days Out achieved international recognition.
Nicky is an artist, designer and lecturer based in the North West of England. Since 1994 he has owned and managed Chester boutique studio Lemondrop Creative. In 2017 his illustrations for Marvellous Days Out achieved international recognition.
Nicky Thompson was born in Sheffield in 1970.
He is a graphic designer, illustrator, lecturer and occasional fine artist, and since 1994 he has owned and managed boutique design studio Lemondrop Creative in the North West of England.
He has an MA from the Liverpool School of Art and is visiting lecturer at the University of Chester.
He has worked for an array of clients including: Premier League football clubs (Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City), Longines Watches, The FA, Virgin, Cheshire East Council, CrossCountry Trains, Arriva Trains, Marketing Cheshire, the NHS, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Flintshire County Council, Matrix Networks, London Northwestern Railway, Tatton Park, The National Piers Society, London Zoo, Chester Zoo, and an array of SMEs.
In 2017 his 1930s inspired rail posters for the Marvellous Days Out campaign achieved international success. BBC coverage of this project can be viewed here.
In 2018 he designed and illustrated the book 'Discover Amazing Women by Rail' which attracted national coverage.
In November 2019 his first solo show ‘Made in Chester’ was launched at the Chester Grosvenor Museum.
In October 2020 he launched his ‘Gallery in the Gardens’ at Tatton Park, becoming the first artist since Quentin Blake to exhibit here. The exhibition featured 12 new wildlife artworks celebrating Cheshire’s wonderful wildlife.
In August 2021 he exhibited 18 artworks at Chester Cathedral as part of the Pete Waterman ‘Making Tracks’ event, attracting over 40,000 visitors.
February 2022 saw Nicky’s ‘Shifting Sands’ exhibition displayed in the grounds of Lytham Hall in Lancashire. These 12 new artworks celebrate the beauty of the Fylde Coast. The artworks are also being displayed on station platforms across the region. The project is in association with Fylde Council and Community Rail Lancashire. The show was originally planned for 3 months, but due to its popularity ran for over a year.
2023 sees the launch of a collaboration with the National Piers Society to celebrate the ‘Year of the Pier’. Nicky has illustrated 12 brand new artworks that promote the great British pier. Signed fine art prints, calendars and postcard sets have been produced. Exhibitions are being held at Clevedon Pier (June 10-18) and Brighton West Pier (29 Sept - 30 March 2024). The project has attracted national interest and has featured in many of the Life Magazines and the This England periodical.
For the first time some of his work is now available to buy here as special and limited edition museum quality prints and merchandise, including signed postcard sets, signed calendars, greetings cards and individual fine art postcards.
Nicky's other interests are non-league football, the English Lake District, British social history, sitcoms and decent beer.
