Looking Back
I first noticed Micklyn on Redbubble in 2007. I can still picture myself scrolling through the site and getting full sparkle eyes over her photography and her floral patterns. She was already creating work that stood out, and I kept checking in over the years as her brand grew and her artwork became prolific. Growth like that always draws attention, the good kind and the kind that attracts counterfeiters, which feels like the story for so many successful artists.
I ended up working at Redbubble later on and had the pleasure of seeing something come full circle. Her daughters started sharing their own designs. PerrinLeFeuvre, Tangerine-Tane and Tigatiga each grew into artists in their own way, posting pieces that carried their own style and confidence. Watching that happen felt a bit like cheering from the sidelines as they stepped into their own creative voice.
Growth like that draws attention. Some of it welcome. Some of it not. That’s usually where we enter the picture. When your work reaches people, copycats always show up. Our role is to step in so creators can keep building the careers they have worked for.
Patterns, Color and the World She Builds
Micklyn’s studio sits near Cape Town in South Africa, where she has built her creative world. Her work is exactly how she describes it. Most of her work consists of seamless patterns, whether abstract or illustrative, with lots of bright color, texture and detail. She calls her work quite eclectic. Her favorite themes are floral or botanical patterns, geometric abstracts or collages, and animal illustrations. When it comes to what medium she uses, she especially loves working with chalk pastels, pencils and watercolor. In her own words, her art is colorful, whimsical and textured.
Her work has always had a way of reaching people, and I’ve admired what she’s created from the beginning.
Butterflies & Hibiscus, Shibori Inspired Oversized Indigo Floral, Painted Protea
The Foxes Who Got Away
When she talks about a piece she is especially proud of, she shares the story of a fox design she finished for a hunting themed challenge. The design is titled Where the Fox Hides, but she likes to think of them as The Ones Who Got Away. She says she found it a really satisfying design to create, with layers of texture, color, and detail, and she is so happy with how it turned out.
When a Chance Becomes a Turning Point
Her path to Edwin James IP began with hesitation. Edwin James IP contacted her via email out of the blue, and she did not know anyone who had worked with us before. In her words, she “wasn’t too sure about them” and even ignored the first couple of emails. In the end she decided to take a chance, in case we were actually the people who could help her with the “seemingly endless copyright infringement” she had experienced over the years.
She remained very nervous, “wondering if somehow, some way, this was all a scam,” until she received her “fat envelope of copyright certificates.” That was the moment that started to shift things for her. As she puts it, “That was amazing.”
When the Numbers Land
The biggest surprise came later. She says “the biggest surprise was the size of the amount recovered.” She was “not expecting anything so life-changing” and she is “so grateful.” For an artist who had been told again and again that nothing could be done, seeing a different outcome arrive in real numbers is a lot to take in.
Crystal Bohemian Honeycomb Cubes, Hot Pink and Gold Baroque Floral Pattern, Royal Purple, Mauve & Indigo Decorative Moroccan Tile Pattern
What She Wants Artists To Know
For years, every law firm or lawyer she consulted said that there was “nothing to be done about all these little infringements, particularly coming out of China or the East.” Now she knows “that’s not entirely true.”
In Micklyn’s own words…
“What a relief to have someone fighting on my behalf while I get to carry on drawing and spending time with my children.”
Inside the Studio
Her studio life leans on the small things that keep ideas moving. “Nothing beats a freshly sharpened pencil and a clean piece of paper for figuring out where I’m going with a design.” Those same tools hold her endless to do lists and half the logistics of her life. Her studio opens onto a balcony that looks out over the mountains and the sea. She steps out there for a breath, a prayer or a quick reset before heading back in.
Her taste in music is “even more eclectic” than her artwork. Her liked songs playlist sits at 6322 tracks, enough to count as her own streaming service. She loves calm instrumentals while she works, and the rest of the library covers whatever mood a creative day decides to throw her way.
And then there is the comment she hears the most. “There are a few people who frequently tell me that my work is ‘too busy’.” She says, “Perhaps one day they’ll realize that I like it that way. Or perhaps one day I’ll grow up and learn to create quiet, elegant, minimalistic work. You never know.”
Her answer says so much about how art works. It was never meant to stay in one lane. Some pieces stay quiet. Some feel loud. Some keep changing depending on who is looking. Her work moves through all of that with a kind of honesty. Color, texture and rhythm carry their own voice. That is why we support artists like Micklyn. Their artwork shapes how the world feels. And when it’s copied or sold without permission, it deserves to be defended.
That is one of the many reasons we support artists. Their work shapes how the world feels. It makes moments better, and that deserves protection.
Support and find more of Micklyn’s artwork:
Instagram – www.instagram.com/micklyn/
Spoonflower – www.spoonflower.com/profiles/micklyn
If Micklyn’s story hits close to home and you are tired of chasing copycats, you deserve support.
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