Carla Watkins is a photographic artist working in the realms of fantasy, magic & imagination, and different ways to look at the world. She lives & works on the north Essex coastline which suits her mermaid heart.
Through her photography, alter ego work, mermaiding, burlesque & cosplay, she creates images which could have come from a dream or from the pages of a book.
She also shoots mermaids, fantasy and magical portraits for clients – come & play!
Take the magic home
Limited and open edition prints, art cards and more – explore my shop for an escape from reality, and some gift ideas!
Recent happenings…
Introducing Derek, the recycling dragon
This is Derek. Derek came to join my studio & household some years ago, when I fell in love...
The Pony Way Is Essex 2026
Just back from a live model horse show, my first in more than 13 years, and easily the one with...
Colour challenge: Colchester
There are some brilliant communities for photographers around, and one of these is Lisa Devlin's...
Real life us and Barbie us – my life is weird but fun
Having made the mini versions of me and of Lu obviously I had to get all four of us together......
Custom Barbie dolls – making mini us part 2
Took me forever but I eventually found a donor body with hair I thought I could make look more...
Custom Barbie dolls – making mini us part 1
Not long after discovering properly articulated and curvier dolls existed, I decided I wanted to...
BTS: finding hares in Norfolk
Having always wanted hares and jackalopes in my portfolio of art (mainly for my own wall, though...
Monster High Twyla cosplay Part 3: Making the accessories
The last of the series of posts showing more details of how I made my Monster High Twyla cosplay -...
Monster High Twyla Cosplay Part 2: Making the Book of Talismans bag
The second of the promised more detailed posts about how I made my Monster High Twyla cosplay......
Monster High Twyla Cosplay part 1: The Outfit
I promised a more detailed series on how my Monster High Twyla cosplay came together, and here's...
Cosplay: Monster High Twyla
Introducing Twyla Boogeyman... I am so proud of this one! Sitting somewhere between bounding and...
Unboxing the vending machine
A very quick post today to share the unboxing of my new mini print vending machine - squeeee!...