Pretty Things Spotlight: * Micawber *

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Update: The winner of the print of her/his choice by Micawber is PETRA... CONGRATULATIONS!

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There's something about Micawber...

Crystal, the artist behind Micawber, is obviously very talented...but, it's that very balanced blend of sweet, sassy innocence and an almost sensual devilishness in each of her illustrations that tells you exactly who she herself is.

The eyes in her "more grown up" illustrations pull you in, ...trapping you in a mysterious fantasy land of delicate thin-necked characters. Her women are strong and yet vulnerable... urging you to notice them as they hide in shadow.

Yet there is a sweet childlike side to Crystal too..., this playful side perhaps more evident now with the birth of her young daughter Avie, whom she describes as "one incredibly awesome little girl". Complete with pretty pink dresses, bubbles and ribbons, you can find Crystal's sweet, innocent side in her shop of children's illustrations called Little Beanz.

Whichever side you prefer, there is undoubtedly no end to Crystal's talent...

" I've always fancied anything even remotely cutesy....in fact, I should have a head full of cavities due to the amount of which I adore "sweetness."

Spotlight: Micawber

★ Tell us about You…
My name is Crystal Wall, soon to be Crystal Lancaster as I am getting married in 3 weeks! I live in a growing suburb area in Southern New Brunswick, Canada, called Quispamsis(say that 5 times fast!) with my soul mate, Paul, and our 16 month old daughter, Avie. I am a classically trained animator who has worked as an animator/character designer in the animation industry for the last 6 years. I recently decided to take the plunge and try working from home selling my art prints, participating in art shows and doing freelance animation contracts so that I can be with my daughter. It can be a bit intense and scary at times, but overall, it has been a super rewarding experience.

★ Where does the name Micawber come from?
The name Micawber comes from a character, Wilkins Micawber, from Charles Dickens' novel, David Copperfield. His name has become synonymous with someone who lives in hopeful expectation, which is the way I try to live my life, so I thought it was quite fitting! :)

★ What inspires you?
I tend to get inspiration from a lot of different things. I absolutely adore studying other artists works, their choice of composition, the way they apply the medium, their colour choices, I find it all really captivating. Sometimes, I am inspired simply by colour, a fantastic colour can really get my brain swirling with ideas! I'm loving on turquoise a lot lately. Also, I tend to get a lot of ideas in those moments in bed, just before I drift off to sleep, the hard part is remembering them all in the morning!

★ Apart from creating things, what do you do for fun?
I love music, so, I love seeing live shows. My fiance is very into music as well, so it's something we've been able to share. Heck, even our daughter has been to 5 concerts already while she was in the womb! What? It counts! :) I have been trying my hand at sewing a bit lately, it's definitely something that I would like to pursue more in the future, I just need to invest in a decent sewing machine. I enjoy photography, my fiance is quite into photography as well and we recently invested in a Canon Rebel xti....sweeeeet! I also enjoy sitting out on the deck on a hot, sunny day with a nice cold beer and friends.

★ What has been your most memorable moment selling your art?
I don't think I could narrow it down to just one moment, I've had a lot of rewarding moments overall regarding my work. The first time I ever saw some of my animation work air on television was pretty exciting. Custom pieces always bring a certain level of accomplishment and satisfaction, also, simply having someone tell you that they are a fan of your work is pretty exhilarating as well!

★ Any advice for fellow artists...
Always be willing to change, adapt, and expand your work. Too much of the same thing can become very boring. Try new techniques, mediums and styles. Have fun with it!

★ Tell us more...
This is honestly the first time in many years that I have had the time to truly concentrate on my own artwork again. Working in the animation industry is quite rewarding, but it leaves little time for your own artistic ventures. Since I decided to work from home at the end of last year, I have been blessed with the time to really work hard on my own visions again, and I am absolutely loving it. I will be growing and evolving with my work and techniques as much as I possibly can over the coming years, so be sure to keep a close eye on me! Also, I'd like to thank you Raven for featuring me on your awesome blog, you rock!

Shop: http://micawber.etsy.com
Shop: http://littlebeanz.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.themicawber.com

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Enter this week's give-a-way!

Lucky you...This week's give-a-way is a a super sweet treat as the winner gets to pick the print of her/his choice by Micawber!

How to enter:
Peek into Micawber's shoppe and comment here on your most favourite print...the one you'd absolutely DIE to have, telling us just why you love it so!

Most Important Details: If your favourite print is not part of your comment and/or some sort of viable contact information is not included, your entry will be disqualified. Winner has 3 days to contact me with their address. Give-a-way is shipped out via the artist. The winner's name will be drawn from a hat...the good ole' fashioned way to do things. One entry per person. All entries must be received by midnight of Saturday, May 17th, 2008, PST. This contest is open to everyone.

Best of luck to you, my Pretties!