Feature Friday: Andrea Kett : Cupcakes, zombies and Pinups Oh my!

I haven't done feature Friday for awhile now but I'm glad to be back with such an amazing artist. My friend Sara turned me onto her shop and I knew right away i had to feature her. I mean spiders,zombies,cupcakes,pastries and pinups all mixed into one ,nothing screams Amanda more then that. Andrea was sweet enough to agree to let me interview her, she has an amazing shop on etsy to check out with prints,cards,paper dolls and more. Here is our interview:

1. How did you get started with your art, and when did you decide to open up a shop.After leaving Art college I started making my own greetings cards,it was a relatively cheap and easy way to get my work out there.After exhibiting at a few good trade fairs,I had managed to get my cards into some really well known stores like Liberty ,Harrods, Coco de Mer (UK) and Barneys NY as well as a few more.It wasn't until a few years later that I decided to open an Etsy shop.

2.Tell us a little bit about yourself?I am an artist/illustrator and part time treasure huntress.Born in Dublin,studied animation at Dun Laoighre College of Art and Design (in Dublin).I completed a further year at Bristol University and am currently based in the UK.

3.What is your favourite item currently in your shop.My favourite item in my shop is my “Undead Threads” paper doll book it combines all my favourite things, such as over the top fashions and glamorous ghouls.(I especially enjoyed drawing all the spooky accessories)

4. Is this your part time or full time job? If its not what is your day job.its my full time job (which I am very glad to say)Ive been lucky enough to make a living out of my scribblings for the last 10 years or so.

5. What inspires you and who are your favorite artistsLots of things inspire me really,vintage fashion,books,films and music (books in particular anything from Agatha Christie to Enid Blyton).I also love to collect little curios and knick knacks,vintage tins (being my latest ebay obsession),wooden peg dolls,old Christmas decorations,taxidermy and odd china.They put me in any instant good mood (exept on the rare occasion when I have to give them the once over with a duster!)when im starting a new project I like to display these objects near my desk-like a 3d moodboard it really helps to set the scene.My favourite artists are Tarpe Mills,Dame Darcy (splendid comics from both )Edward Ardizzone,Edward Gorey,Nathalie Lete,Marcel Vertes and Erte (great fashion illustrators)I quite like Grayson Perry (he’s one of my new ones) and ‘the girls’(Andrea Blood and Zoe Sinclair),there are probably loads more I will think of later!!

6. If you could have dinner with any 3 people alive or dead who would it be and why?This is a tricky question,Ive never really thought about it but if pushed I would say John Waters,Kenny Everett (a British comic genius way ahead of his time) and Poison Ivy from the cramps.The first 2 for their great wit and general banter, the latter for some style tips as there are very few women that can carry off all that leopardskin and still look marvellously elegant!!