Artist's Profiles

Here we will profile some of the artists:

Annabel de Vetten

Born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany, Annabel came to Birmingham, England when she was just 17, in order to pursue her passion for art. After graduating from Wolverhampton University with a BA Hons in Fine Art/Sculpture, Annabel put her 3D work to one side to progress her figurative painting. Each of her striking images go through several stages of process. They are not photos rendered stylistically. Close examination will reveal the astonishing precision with which she works.

Over the past decade, Annabel has exhibited widely throughout the UK, namely Birmingham and London, and has received substantial media coverage. Her work has been featured in a number of national publications including The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Mirror, Heat Magazine, Location Location Magazine, Elle Decoration, Marie Claire, Bizarre Magazine, as well as reviews in several magic publications.

Inspired by the likes of Andy Warhol and Victor Vasarely together with the retro influences of designers such as Verner Panton, the artist began to develop her figurative style, focusing on the female form. She worked to produce images of unknown women that were so sultry and alluring that they looked like stars in their own right.

Being a big movie fan, Annabel also began incorporating scenes from iconic movies into her paintings. Throughout her career she has remained fascinated with the concept of capturing a moment. Rather than merely depicting an actor, Annabel has worked to develop a style that would act as a freeze-frame, allowing the viewer to relive the scene.

The juxtaposition of bold colours and stark backgrounds against the soft forms of the subject provide great contrast in the works. Details are stripped away and features are created using a series of graduating contours, allowing the viewer to explore each piece like a landscape.

Annabel’s most recent collection of work was inspired by the other passion in her life, close-up magic. Constantly using playing cards, Annabel became fascinated with the concept of creating her own cards. Working in collaboration with a playing card specialist in Germany, Annabel created the Jill Deck: The cards where the Jacks are Jills. The court cards in the Jill Deck are based on Annabel's original paintings of her ‘Beautiful Strangers’ series, as seen in the ‘Sleightly Suggestive’ exhibition at Planet Bazaar in London.


Annabel is currently working on a collection of portraits featuring vintage and iconic Magicians. The are available as original paintings on canvas, or small limited edition prints. Annabel has had works commissioned by some of the top celebrities in magic and her work is exhibited by many top collectors. This is an ongoing project, with new works added all the time. She has some fantastic people from the magic world on board for these new projects, so please check back often for updates.


This collection is available as a range of gifts (mugs, coasters, place mats, business card holders and fridge magnets) exclusively here at www.gifts4magicians.com.




Ray Bradbury in his own words Capturing Magic

“The most beautiful experience
We can have is the mysterious.
It is the fundamental emotion
which stands at the cradle of
true art and true science.
Whoever does not know it can
no longer wonder, no longer
marvel, is as good as dead,
and his eyes are dimmed.”

Albert Einstein
The world as I see it

The urge to create is both task master and
Raison d’etre to the craftsman.

A craftsman lives with the paradox and
Mystery every waking and much of his sleeping
moments.

I have no difficulty in understanding and
having sympathy with the words of the giant
of humanity I am humble to repeat above.

Surrounded by mysteries as part of my life
has not in any way diminished my love for them


The mysterious way the sunlight ripens
grapes and the smallest of god’s creatures
In yeast turns it’s juice into a delightful wine is
Something in which I delight as a lover of fine wine


Whether you drink wine or not the mystery
remains and to be blind to those mysteries no
matter how the scientist may analyse them is
to miss more than half of the joy of living

I choose a example as far from my work bench
as I could because I am certain it sound vain
if I describe the sane feelings occurring as I
work. It is true for me to say that the way
that an object comes to ‘life’ in my hands
Always fascinates and delights me.

That is reality for me. That is the mystery of
being a craftsman.

I am blessed in my life to find that my work,
no matter how driven, is a labour of love.

I have always enjoyed the fruits of the work
Of other craftsman.

I marvel at all those mysteries in which I
cannot share or participate directly.

Such as in the work of great writers of whom I
am honoured to know a few, to great captains
Of industry, who are often over looked, to
great chefs, great musicians and a host of
wonderful hard working , and equally often,
driven human beings

There is one art which is perhaps the most
transient and in a paradoxical way most
enduring

The great actors and performers because they
are retained only in our memory never become
hackneyed, never age and always remain
mysterious and fresh.

My love for stage and performance
encompasses many genres but since I was a
child the magician has held a special place in
my heart.

how could I capture in a sculpture the magic
dimensions that these performers instil in my
memory?

How could I honour the delight and memory of
this special craft?

Once the spark had found the kindling in my
imagination I had no choice but to work to
discover the means

I believe that I have in some small way
brought that dimension to life for me and I
sincerely hope for you.

I haven’t tried to produce a replica of any act
Or person. Rather to embody a caricature of
those performers and performances that
contained that magic for me.

I do hope that these small scenarios can carry
that magic and delight to you

Ray Bradbury

Rest in peace a true artist
keeping your dream alive