10 Emerging Artists to Follow on Instagram

By Daniella Saunders

4 years ago

Up-and-coming artists worth tapping twice for


Never has the art world been more accessible. Thanks to Instagram, your new-found favourite artist could be just a tap away, whether you’re interested in ceramics, sculpture, printmaking or paints. Colour your feed by following these 10 emerging artists on Instagram, from Sophie Tea’s empowering nudes to Paul Ferney’s idyllic seascapes. These are the ones to watch…

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10 Emerging Artists to Follow on Instagram

1. Sophie Tea

Branded ‘London’s hottest new artist disrupting the art industry on Instagram’, Sophie Tea has utilised the social platform to its fullest, amassing an impressive 113.5k following by posting influential body-positive paintings which sell like hot cakes. The budding British-born artist, who now boasts studios in both London and Sydney, predominantly paints inspiring multi-hued nudes which celebrate the female form, in which you can even sign up to model yourself. sophieteaart.com

2. Shantell Martin

With a live performance featuring Kendrick Lamar plus collaborations with PUMA, Nike and Tiffany & Co. on her record, Shantell Martin has made quite the impact. The New York-based creative produces contemplative black-and-white doodle-esque drawings featuring an array of engrossing faces, phrases and symbols. shantellmartin.art

3. Andy Dixon

If you are easily drawn to colour, then you’re guaranteed to fall in love with Andy Dixon’s vibrant works. The former punk-rock musician’s lavish paintings exude elegance and glamour, with a real emphasis on beauty and a subtle nod to The Renaissance era. Last year the LA-based artist also gained prominence in the fashion world following an apt collaboration with Versace. andydixon.net

4. Hannah Carvell

From comical typography to cutesy animal prints, Hannah Carvell – who amusingly describes herself as a ‘lover of sausage dogs, drag queens & weird cats’ – is guaranteed to brighten your feed with her culmination of colourful quotes and dog pics. Oh, and her artworks are pretty good too. hannahcarvell.com

5. Chihuly

You may have spotted Chihuly’s spectacular glass sculptures dotted around Kew Gardens last year. The American sculptor has the ability to complement and enhance any environment with his colourful glass works, from the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Ohio to a ceiling in the Toyama Glass Art Museum in Japan. Follow him to find out where his breathtaking sculptures end up next. chihuly.com 

6. Beau Dunn

Renowned for her ‘Plastic’ Barbie prints – which notably featured last year in a Kylie Jenner Architectural Digest cover story – and playful neon sculptures (note the popular ‘need money for Birkin’ edition), Beau Dunn is a multidisciplinary artist taking the visual art world by storm. beaudunnart.com

7. Paul Ferney

Paul Ferney’s picturesque paintings of beachside and country vistas ignite a joyous dose of holiday nostalgia; think white sands, crystal waters and plenty of sun worshippers infiltrating your feed. paulferney.com

8. Jadé Fadojutimi

 

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I’m delighted to announce that ‘I Present Your Royal Highness’ (2018) has entered the TATE collection.⁠ I was looking through images on my phone of the time I spent making this painting and thought I would share work in progress shots. According to my phone, I started at 21:59 and took my last photo at 5:30am. I really enjoyed making this work which the last aftermath video shows. 🤡🙋🏽‍♀️🙈 ⁠ The painting acquired by @tate was included in my first solo exhibition in a UK public institution, ‘The Numbing Vibrancy of Characters in Play’ @peergallery in 2019. ⁠ –⁠ ⁠ Image: Jadé Fadojutimi, ‘I Present Your Royal Highness’ 2018, oil on canvas, 201 x 160 cm⁠ ⁠ –⁠ ⁠ #tatecollection #jadefadojutimi #pippyhouldsworthgallery #art #painting #contemporaryart #london #museum #tate #britishartist #contemporarypainting #contemporaryart #oilpainting #kunst #workinprogress #studio #paintingstudio #studiolife #peergallery #jadéfadojutimi #絵画 #ロンドン #スタジオ #油絵 #現代アート #コンテンポラリーアート #アート

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A former Royal College of Art student, Jadé Fadojutimi is certainly up-and-coming on the art scene. Her works are currently held across London – including the Pippy Houldsworth Gallery and Tate – as well as Cologne and Tokyo. Follow for her engrossing abstract works and for a glimpse of where the magic happens (a paint-smothered studio in South London). jadefadojutimi.com

9. Alice Skinner

 

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#tb Been thinking about Audre’s words more than ever recently 💎 #audrelorde #illustration

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Offering a facetious take on a number of important issues – gender inequality, racial injustice, body positivity and so on – Alice Skinner’s evocative illustrations will bring both joy and sentiment to your feed. thisisaliceskinner.bigcartel.com

10. Michael Kagan

Michael Kagan’s paintings are out of this world – literally. The Brooklyn-based artist – who has worked with the likes of Pharrell Williams and created album artwork for British rock band White Lies – creates sensational large-scale space-themed works of art using heavy brush strokes. If you’re fascinated by both art and space travel, Kagan is definitely one to follow. michaelkagan.com

Featured image: Sophie Tea

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