Spacebook.

Facebook and Myspace, a fabulous waste of time, invaluable 21st century communication tools or the beginning of the end of social interactions as we know them? Well I haven't totally decided yet - but I do like to drop by them both pretty often, maybe a bit too much.

When it comes to art however, it is Myspace I have to thank for unearthing me some real gems - perhaps due to its more open and promotional nature. Just a few random clicks linking through profiles and comments and you never know what you may find.

I guess my big Myspace art discovery was the lovely, dreamy, sometimes feminine, often gothic tinged, art of Krista Huot from Montreal in Canada. I don't even know how I found her but on reaching her profile and checking out her pictures I loved her work straight away.

(Nosferatu - Krista Huot)

The images on her page at that time were digital pieces. Some illustrated fairy stories I knew, but with a little twist.

(Red Riding Hood - Krista Huot)

Some I could guess the theme if not the story.

(Dracula Bitches - Krista Huot)

I emailed Krista to ask if she had any work in galleries and she emailed me back about some upcoming shows.

The first was a group show called Attack of the 19" Zlicks at New York's My Plastic Heart gallery - a fun show featuring lots of customised erm, 19" Zlicks. Krista's Zlick imaginatively introduced one of her favourite devices, pernicious little goblins, whose vulnerability she would sometimes expose. In this case by having them sneak wide eyed through a dark scary forest, which unbeknownst to them, is dominated by a huge silent Idol, in the shadow of which they creep.

(Goblin Idol in the Dark Spooky Woods - Krist Huot)

(Trapped - a collaboration between Krista Huot and Parskid. From a later show.)

In the next show Krista emailed to me, I could see her talent shone through as being something special. The show was called A Place Called Lovely and was at San Francisco's 1988 Gallery.

(Riding By Night - Krista Huot)

(Patience - Krista Huot)

(Taking Turns - Krista Huot)

Krista has gone from strength to strength, her paintings, frequently depicting ethereal, fanciful ladies, seem to appeal to the inner little girl in many. Her work is in a lot of demand and she continues to collaborate closely with Gallery 1988 and others, with solo shows planned for the future.

Krista continues to develop her style and is not afraid to experiment. Occasionally she uses bold colour.

(Hanami - Krista Huot.)

(Ether - Krista Huot)

But often the tones she uses are muted, just letting the inner beauty of the piece take precedence.

(Vanite - Krista Huot)

(Celeste on the Sea of Clouds - Krista Huot)

If you never grew up to be a ballerina or your parents didn't buy you that pony you wanted, if you've ever wanted to be a fairy princess or a bit of a wicked queen - one of Krista's storybook beauties will no doubt live that dream for you