"Love" by Lani Woods

The last several years, Skinny Artist has published a list of “21 Amazing Artists to Watch” in an effort to recognize some of the best up and coming artists online, as well as a few who are already highly successful artists in their field.  Now obviously we continue to keep a very close eye on all of the artists whom we have featured here in previous years, so they were not eligible to be included again on this year’s list.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet some of these amazing artists, however, I would really encourage you to take the time to get to know them.

21 Amazing Artists to Watch in 2010

21 Amazing Artists to Watch in 2011

Now as we settle into 2012, I wanted to take a moment and share with you 21 more amazing artists who I have had the pleasure to get to know better over this past year.  These are not just talented visual artists, writers, and photographers — but they are also extraordinary people.

These are the artists who are out there every day creating their art and offering encouragement to the rest of us through their blogs, Facebook updates, and Flickr photostreams. They understand the value of sharing their creative process and supporting the larger arts community around them, which in the end makes us all better artists.

I also wanted to say a special thank you to the lovely and talented artist Lani Woods (@artistlani) for allowing us to use her beautiful “Love” painting as the featured image for this year’s list.  Lani is not only a gifted artist, but she is an exceptionally kind and generous friend as well, which is why she also happens to be one of the artists featured on this year’s list.

Now obviously these are not the only creative artists online who are worthy of being included.  I will apologize in advance if I happened to overlook you or someone else you admire this year.  There are so many deserving artists out there, but unfortunately it’s just not possible to include them all on a single list.  If there is someone special you would like to recommend, however, please feel free to add him or her’s name in the comment section below.

[Hey featured artists!  You can now show off your creative awesomeness with your very own "21 Artists to Watch" website badge!  If you currently are (or have been) one of the artists featured on this list, be sure to grab yourself a website badge here, put it on your site, and soak up the love ]

21 Artists to Watch in 2012

In no particular order of awesomeness!

Maude McDonald

Follow Maude on Twitter @maudetheartist, on her Facebook page, and on Google+

First of all, there’s little doubt that Maude intimately understands the art world inside and out.  Having been both a gallery owner and an artist herself, she clearly knows what it takes to succeed. Maude understands that being a successful artists in not just about creating extraordinary artwork (which she does) but it’s also about making connections and building relationships with other people in the larger arts community as well.

Honestly as a painter, Maude’s extraordinary artistic talent defies categorization. At a time when so many visual artists seem to be specializing in order to carve out their creative niche, Maude continues to expand her repertoire and her work masterfully touches on everything from nature, to landscapes, to figurative,  to my personal favorite which is her Surrealism & Fusion series.

Having said all of that, it’s not just her obvious talent at the easel that lands her on this particular list — it’s also her amazing ability to connect with others in a meaningful way.  Rarely does a day go by when I haven’t received a friendly morning “wave” from Maude on Twitter or seen her recommending a few of our fellow artists on Facebook or her Google+ page.  This is not simply some exercise in social media marketing, Maude does it because she truly loves bringing people together, which I’m quite certain is one of the reasons why she has been so successful as both an artist and a gallery owner.  It’s also the reason that Maude deserves to be on the top of any list of artists to watch in 2012.

Naomi Backer

Follow Naomi on Twitter @xn3art and on her website.

Naomi is a visual artist who may be based in Amsterdam but she is clearly a student of the entire world.  In her own words she states that “I collage because it solves riddles in my life.”   When you browse through her exquisite collection of mixed-media and digital artwork, you can begin to see how she brings all of  these colors, shapes, images, and textures together to create pure visual poetry.

I found it interesting to discover that Naomi received her master’s degree in cinema studies because once you realize this, you begin to see that unique compositional eye of a cinematographer or a director at work.  She’s a natural for using mixed-media whether it’s on wood, paper, canvas, or even in print, because she has the ability to see the natural relationship between all of these different forms, images, and textures.  Naomi says that she likes  “to pick up pieces, fragments, moments, memories, and dreams and remix them into different realities.” She is somehow able to find that hidden thread that ties all of these pieces together into one coherent theme.

I also really enjoy reading though Naomi’s fantastic art blog because it’s like being invited into the creative playground of her imagination.  Much like her artwork, Naomi’s blog is always filled with this amazingly diverse collection of posts, poems, paintings, videos, and music.  It’s here that you will find everything from Keats, to Goethe, to Madam Bovary, to Plato, to Nat King Cole.  Naomi uses her blog as a creative storehouse where she is able to collect, deconstruct, and then re-imagine these sources into an entirely new perspectives that ultimately speaks in her own artistic voice.  Not only is she an outstanding visual artist, but Naomi is also a kind and generous friend who is always there to offer an encouraging word on Twitter to anyone who may need it, which is just one more reason that Naomi will be an artist we will be watching closely in 2012.

Swarez

Follow Swarez on Twitter @SwarezArt , Facebook, and Google+

Swarez is a visual artist and painter based in Gloucestershire.  His artistic style is bold, colorful, and filled with passion –  which as I have discovered, is very much like the man himself.

I’ve got to say that I’m usually not a big fan of most artist’s “About” or “Bio” page because they usually are written in that really awkward third person narrative that ends up sounding like a fairly bland resume. . . Having said, the visual artist Swarez has nailed it.  He doesn’t fill his bio with a boring laundry list of awards and gallery showings, instead he has the audacity to speak directly to his fans and potential customers. In fact, he clearly states upfront . . .

“I don’t have any formal art training, and I’ve never studied technique or composition from anyone.  Whatever comes out onto the canvas comes straight from my imagination.”

That’s not to say that Swarez is bashful about his work.  In fact, he has an entire page dedicated to the “10 reasons why you should buy my art”  He understands that he has a unique product that people aren’t going to be able to find anywhere else, so he just has fun with it.  He knows that it’s possible to be a “serious” artist without having to be serious all the time.  Just be you. Let your personality shine through your work as well as the content on your website. As Swarez says upfront, he’s not looking for mass market appeal, he’s all about expressing his passion for shape and color and then sharing that passion directly with his fans and potential customers.

By the way, if you want to see where the art world is heading online, spend a little time visiting his website and see how Swarez has managed to merge his creative soul with real-world business practices that work.  Things like on-site checkout, free delivery (in the UK), “Try before you buy” (in-house consultation), and did I mention that he’s also got a money back guarantee?

Now I could go on and talk about his innovative child art education program or his multiple online blogs that he has wisely separated into art-related and non art-related topics, but we’ve simply run out of space.  Swarez is an artist we will not only be watching in 2012, but we’ll probably be taking notes as well.

Mimulux

Follow Mimulux on Twitter @mimuluxArt and on her Facebook page.

You can’t judge a book by its cover and you certainly can’t define an exceptionally talented artist like Mimulux in a few short sentences.  By her own admission on her website, most her artwork would be considered “dark”.  Not dark as in blood and gore or something that is there to shock or frighten you, but something far more subtle.  It is an emotional darkness, or as she describes it “the dark side of life”.  When you begin to look closely at her artwork, you begin to realize that there is so much more there than at first meets the eye.

When I first met Mimu I was immediately struck by the contrast between the dark nature of her artwork and her friendly (and dare I say downright cheery) personality.  The more I thought about this, however, I realized how often we unfairly label artists by the nature of their work.  We somehow expect a horror writer like Stephen King to be a satanic lunatic, while other authors such as Ernest Hemmingway, who had a rather unpleasant personality to say the least, gets a pass because of his more mainstream subject matter.  Don’t be intimidated by her dark avatar, I’m quite certain that if you ever get the chance to talk with Mimu on Twitter, Facebook, or her art blog, you’ll discover as I have what a truly kind and beautiful personality she has.

Mimu has lived all around the world and is currently based in Hungary.  As you look at the sheer variety of her amazing artwork, you can begin to see all of these different influences creating something powerful and uniquely her own.  Far too many people mistake “dark” for colorless, and although Mimu does have several galleries of black and white images such as her beautifully haunting “Fog” series, pieces such as “Innuendo” and the visually stunning “Alberich” leaves little doubt that she’s also quite masterful with the use of color.  As you spend some time browsing through her elegantly arranged art galleries, you begin to witness how effortlessly she seems to move between painting, digital illustrations, photography, and sometimes blending them all into something truly extraordinary, which is why Mimu will be an artist we will be watching closely in 2012

Allison Bratt

Follow Allison on Twitter @AllisonBrattArt and on her Facebook page

Allison is an amazing visual artist whose work reflects her deep love of the natural world and our intimate connection with it as human beings.  Her work often intertwines animals, nature, and people that emphasizes our natural interdependence of these worlds.  Her paintings are incredibly intricate and almost puzzle-like in their composition, which reveals not only a keen eye for detail, but also a remarkable sense of patience and perseverance, which is something to which I can only hope to aspire.

Like so many of the other artists on this list, Alli uses her website as a way to share her thoughts with her friends and fans by allowing us peek behind the proverbial curtain and better understand her creative process on her art blog.  She doesn’t just use it to talk about her latest work, however, she uses it as a way to talk about some of the issues that so many of us creative souls deal with on a daily basis such as her recent post about the paralysis that can often come from having too many choices available.

Most days you can find Alli on her Facebook page or Twitter  connecting with and sharing the work of other artists.  Whether it’s giving art lessons to kids, or simply offering an encouraging word to others, she is always doing whatever she can to help others discover and follow their own creative path, which is (or at least should be) what social media is all about. Allison is an extraordinarily talented artist, a kind creative soul, and certainly  an artist to watch in 2012.

Julie  Anne  Lindsey

Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieALindsey and visit her on her website

I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a big year for Julie as both a writer and author.  Her first book “Bloom” was published in January and is now available on Amazon.  Her second book “Death by Chocolate”, which is the first in her Killer Confections Saga, will soon be available.

To me Julie represents an entirely new breed of author and one we’re going to be seeing a lot more of in the coming years.  You see instead of overwhelming random publishers with unsolicited manuscripts,  Julie slowly built her reputation online and eventually she was able to find the perfect publisher for her work.  And because she is already comfortable being online, I think she is probably more willing to take chances and experiment with new ideas and technologies as they come along.  I particularly liked her innovative new “video trailer” for her upcoming book, which is also something I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of in the future.

Quite honestly, however, it wasn’t Julie’s novels that made me initially notice her online as a writer (partly because she hadn’t written them yet) — it was her extraordinary personality.  If you spend any amount of time on Twitter with Julie, you’ll quickly realize that she isn’t your stereotypical moody writer recluse.  She’s a real person who, like so many of us, is trying everyday to find that delicate balance between handling our family responsibilities while still being able to pursue our own creative ambitions.

I also think that part of the reason that Julie connects so easily with the online writing community is not just because she’s a fan of “The Princess Bride” (which certainly can’t hurt),  but simply because you can tell that she is being completely genuine.  She allows us to get to know her by generously sharing her thoughts, her joys, and her frustrations on her  awesome writing blog “Musings from the Slush Pile”.  I am really looking forward to seeing what’s next for Julie this year both as a writer and as a friend, which is why she is without a doubt an artist to watch in 2012.

Bill Werle

Follow Bill on Twitter @werle3 and on Facebook

Bill is currently a visual artist based in Spokane, Washington but it wasn’t always this way.  Bill, like so many other promising young artists, abandoned his art after life got in the way. . .

“I was on my way to building up a career in painting. I was selling paintings here and there and started to get my name out when life happened. You know how life can sometimes become a train wreck and you dangle off the trestle for a bit. It happened and part of the fallout from that was I turned my back on painting as a career for the next 15 years.”

Fortunately for us, however, that’s not the end of the story.  Luckily the creative artist inside of him wouldn’t let him go.  After turning 40, Bill decided to give in and follow his heart once again. In his own words, “It was time to suck it up and do what I was born to do.”  A lot of Bill’s work focuses on wildlife and the freedom it can represent.  Not just the physical freedom to go where they want to go, but also the freedom to follow their own path, to do and to live the life they were meant to live.  You can see this theme throughout Bill’s artwork including his magnificent Black Series, which is both a study in physical contrasts as well as a closer examination of the light that often lies hidden within each of us.

It’s not simply Bill’s incredible artwork that lands him on this particular list, however, it’s also the level of introspection and reflection that he brings to both his work and his life as an artist.  On his art blog Bill often talks about the inspiration behind some of his recent work and reflects on himself as an artist.  A recent post he did entitled “A look back, looking forward and following your own path” is a perfect introduction to the way Bill approaches both his art and his second chance as an artist.

When I think about Bill’s story, I am reminded of that great quote by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke who once said, “You are not too old and it is not too late to dive into your depths where life calmly gives out it’s own secret.”  Bill’s personal journey reminds us that it is never too late to follow our heart, which is why he will certainly be an artist to watch in 2012 and beyond.

Sonia Bublaitis

Follow Sonia on Twitter @soniabublaitis, Facebook, and on Google+

First of all, let me just say that Sonia gets it.  Unlike so many artists I’ve seen out there who see social media as just another way to market their work, Sonia realizes that that’s never what these sites like Twitter and Facebook were intended to be.  Social media sites like these were designed for sharing and connecting with one another, not for thinly veiled sales pitches.  Sonia understands this and in a world of that is far too often “get mine first”, Sonia’s extraordinary combination of generosity, sharing, and humility makes her stand out like the rare online jewel that she is.

Artistically, Sonia is on a spiritual and creative path that includes painting, photography, singing, and musical composition.  The more that you get to know her, the more you realize that she is simply not interested in limiting herself as an artist or as a human being.  She admits that she is on a journey of artistic exploration and experimentation, and she does not know where it will ultimately lead. I particularly like her spiritual photograph series “The Journey Within”, which is not geared toward any specific religion or belief system, but in her own words to “express the spirituality of the world around me and to challenge the observer with each piece.”  

You can witness this idea of being a part of something larger than oneself throughout her entire body of work.  Whether it’s the beautifully swirling colors or patterns in her abstracts or the tranquil solitude of her photographs, you begin to see that Sonia is challenging us to see the world through a new set of eyes.  A world where we are brought together, not by what we can try to get from one another, but by what we are able to offer to the collective whole. Ultimately, it will be visionaries like Sonia who will be there to help show us the way, which is why she is certainly an artist we will be watching in 2012.

Sandra Lock

Follow Sandra on Twitter @sand625 and on her Facebook page

Sandra is a visual artist and designer based in Liverpool and quite frankly one of the nicest artists I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet online.

Although you might not ever realize it at first by talking with her, Sandra is disabled by a chronic pain condition called Fibromyalgia.  Sandra says that she began creating art as a way to temporarily escape the painful physical reality of her situation.  She says that it’s her hope that she will be able “to enable others to relate to the hidden world of chronic pain or to help them to slip away from the confinements of our own various views of reality.”  By her example, she is hoping that other artists with physical disabilities will be able to find and adapt the tools necessary to create their own art and transcend their physical limitations.

Sandra says that many of her “artistic decisions are born of necessity, ruled by my physical limitations.”  The technology of the iPhone and the iPad has allowed Sandra to begin exploring the burgeoning  new artform of mobile digital art, which is a topic that she also explores in-depth weekly on her excellent art blog. Her art has allowed her to create and free herself in a way that was not previously possible.  The colors she uses in her artwork are stunning and the compositions of her digital art are simply extraordinary.

For the first several months that I knew Sandra, however, I didn’t know anything about her physical limitations.  She was just this friendly creative voice that I had gotten to know through our frequent conversations on Twitter and Facebook.  Sandra always seemed to be there generously sharing the work of other creative souls whom she had met online, and in fact, many of the artists I have come to know on these sites have been through her excellent recommendations.  Like so many other artists on this list, Sandra is a connector.  She is someone who has this natural ability to bring people together both through her art and her amazing personality, which definitely makes Sandra an artist to watch in 2012.

Lisa Wilson

Follow Lisa on Twitter @Lifeunity and on Facebook

Let me say upfront that Lisa is a fantastic visual artist, but honestly it’s her writing that brings me back to her website again and again.  Lisa is what I like to call a “life artist”  One of those precious individuals who is always examining, experimenting, and exploring their own life and then sharing those experiments with the rest of us. As Lisa says in the tag line of her blog, “It all begins with awareness“.

Like so many of us, Lisa is attempting to balance her creativity with the often frantic demands of family life (which somehow she makes sound soothing and manageable).  In true Zen fashion, she has a way of turning these everyday moments of frustration or impatience into “awareness” moments, which are the invitation to see things from a different perspective.  Now normally calm rational people like this drive me nuts because….well because I’m not one of them — but Lisa possesses this amazing ability to be both mindful and extremely likable all at the same time.  I think that a lot of this has to do with the fact that although Lisa is always trying to be mindful and self-aware, she has been known to at times fall short like the rest of us.  This is simply how life works.  We try, we fail, and then we try again.

You see Lisa is not holding herself up as the perfect example, she is only recording her own efforts toward this ideal. It’s not about pursuing perfection, it’s more about being aware, being present in the moment, and striving towards right action.  If you get a chance I would really encourage you to read some of her incredibly insightful articles like “The Dangers of Productivity” , “You Are What You Are” and  “Choose Your Own Adventure”.  Please keep in mind that this is just a somewhat random sampling.  I could find dozens more that have inspired me and made me reflect upon my own life, but then I would probably never get around to finishing this post. Lisa is an artist who works on the largest canvas we have at our disposal, our own life. She is truly an amazing artist, a friend, and someone I will be watching and learning from in 2012. Namaste.

Ken Powers

Follow Ken on Twitter @powers_fine_art on Facebook  and on Google+

The more I get to know Ken, the more I begin to realize that there probably isn’t another person out there who has done as much to bring the online artist community together.  There is no doubt that Ken is an amazing visual artist, but as we’ve said again and again on this site, that’s simply not enough anymore.  The internet has become far too crowded and raw talent alone is rarely enough to get you noticed online.  The ones who succeed these days are the ones who find a way to connect, share, and support other artists rather than constantly promoting themselves.  Ken clearly understands this new culture of sharing, and you can see it everyday on his incredibly popular Facebook page and his daily Twitter updates.  In fact he understands it so well, that he recently wrote an entire book about it called “The Art of Social Network Marketing” which if you have any interest in building your reputation online, I would highly recommend checking it out.

When you first see one of Ken’s beautiful floral paintings, you may think that you have seen something like it before — but then you look closer and you begin to realize that there’s something different about it.  You might not even be able to put your finger on what exactly it is at first — maybe it’s his choice of colors, his shading, or maybe it’s his unique composition that makes these flowers appear as if they are ready to leap from the canvas.  Ken has this incredible ability to take everyday objects that we far too often overlook, and transform them into something truly extraordinary.  He forces us to see our world from an entirely new perspective, which is the role of any creative artist, and just one more reason why Ken will be an artist who we will be watching closely in 2012.

Jo-Ann Dziubek-MacDonald

Follow Jo-Ann on Twitter @jdmstudios and on Facebook

One of the things that I have always loved about watercolors is their unique ability to suggest rather than to shout.  Where inks often serve to define and seperate space, watercolors blend and help to remind us that ultimately there is no space between this and that or you and I.   Watercolors are all about the subtle nuances, the hints and whispers of an idea that we may not even fully understand.  In other words, it’s a lot like life itself.

When I first encountered Jo-Ann’s exceptional watercolor artwork, I was immediately struck by its beautiful subtleties. Her “Angels” series in particular possesses this astonishing balance between form and shadow, that little gap that exists between what we know and see through our physical senses, and that which we feel and believe in our hearts.  Her remarkable piece “Reflecting on an Apple” is another favorite that to me illustrates this subtle convergence between us and the natural world.  Don’t get me wrong, Jo-Ann is not some ivory-towered philosopher attempting to realign our world philosophy (at least I don’t think so)  – she is simply a humble artist who is busy exploring the world around her and describing what she sees with both her eyes and her heart.

Like so many of the other artists on this lists, Jo-Ann generously shares her work and the ideas behind her artwork on her art blog.  It is here where you’ll be able to glimpse at the amazing personality behind the brush.  Most days you can find Jo-Ann on Twitter and her Facebook page talking with or recommending the work of other artists. You can just tell that she really enjoys being a part of the larger artists community both online and off.  Jo-Ann understands that artists thrive when they are able to share their ideas and feed off the creative energy around them, which is why she is certainly an artist that we will be watching closely in 2012.

Jason Nelson

Follow Jason on Twitter @stonesculptorjn, on Facebook, and Google+

I’ve always loved stone sculptures, but for whatever reason, I have always found them to be a bit inaccessible.  I mean if you want to paint, you buy some paints and find something to paint on.  If you want to write, you simply sit down and bang your head against the keyboard repeatedly.  If you make a mistake along the way, you simply paint over it or hit the “delete” button.  But when you are carving in stone like Jason does, there is precious little room for error because you are always removing material rather than adding to it.  Not to mention the fact that this is not some soft malleable clay he’s working with, it’s cold hard break-your-toe rock!  So let me just say up front that I greatly admire Jason as an artist who is willing to tackle this ancient and often unforgiving medium.

On Jason’s website there is a great quote from Rodin who is joking (I think) about the ease of chiseling and shaping stone, “I choose a block of marble and chop off whatever I don’t need.”   Jason is not only a first-class stone sculptor, but he also has a way of making it look way too easy.  As you browse through his online gallery, you begin to get the feeling as if you are looking inside a museum collection.  His magnificent stone sculptures are both classic in design and yet completely modern at the same time.

Like several of the other artists featured on this list, Jason’s creative journey hasn’t always followed a straight path…

“Jason was hired to be the resident sculptor at the Thunder Bay Agate Mine.  However, they needed more money than the Agate Mine was able to pay, to support his growing family.  So, he began working in the forestry industry, planting and thinnning trees in the Great North Woods.  These grueling jobs left him with little time and energy for his artwork or his family-life. . . . In 2008 Jason decided that he was finally ready; the time was right to pursue his goal of becoming a full-time professional sculptor.  Carving rocks for a living has not been easy; obtaining a studio, tools, equipment and supplies while at the same time paying household bills, has been a challenge. Fortunately, he is an artist that loves a good challenge.”

As I read this and so many of the other artists biographies on this list, I couldn’t help but wonder how many creative artists this world has lost due to time and financial restraints that prevented them from pursuing their dream of becoming an artist?  Fortunately for us, Jason is not one of them, and I can’t help but believe that he has a very bright future ahead of him.  Jason is an exceptional artist and a truly amazing person whom I am honored to call my friend, so it’s no surprise that he will also be an artist we will be watching closely in 2012 and beyond.

 Lani Woods

Follow Lani on Twitter @artistlani, on Facebook, and on Google+

Lani is a visual artist based in California whose beautiful paintings often reflect the awe-inspiring scenery and natural diversity of that particular state.  When I look closely at Lani’s work you can’t help but see this distinctive sense of movement that comes from her bold swirling forms and thick luminous colors, that at times appear to be literally vibrating off the canvas.  Her “Skies and Scapes” gallery is a great example of this visual poetry in motion.

Last year Lani decided to start creating some amazing time-lapse videos of her paintings and then post them on her popular YouTube channel. I am constantly surprised that more visual artists don’t take the time to do this type of thing.  Now I realize that not all creative art forms translate well to time-lapse video (writing and photography come to mind)  However if you are a painter, sculptor, illustrator, or any other type of artist whose work visually transforms over time — you really need to start thinking about ways in which you can better connect with your audience and honestly there’s no better way to do this than through online video [says the guy who is typing out the visually deficient 10,000 word article]

Now unless you’re Damien Hirst who thrives on controversy, you have to realize that sheer talent alone is no longer enough.  As I’ve said before, you need to find a way to let your fans and potential clients into your world a bit.  If you’re scared to death of talking on camera, you could always just put some music to it and put it out there online. The more you do it, the easier it will become.  Eventually as you become more comfortable, you can start to do what Lani does throughout her own videos where she pauses in order to talk about some of her color choices or compositional details. Simply by creating these videos, Lani has transformed herself from the realm of yet another faceless talented visual artist (which the world is full of) to someone you can really get to know and admire as a person. When she’s not on YouTube, you can usually find Lani hanging out on Twitter or her Facebook page,  promoting a local art charity and sharing the work of her fellow artists.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Lani is also a devoted  Star Wars aficionado which I think is important to note because we happen to have so few cool kids in our little club.  Lani is an amazing artist, a kind and generous friend, a true Jedi warrior, and an artist we will be watching very closely in 2012.

Cate Thomassen

Follow Cate on Twitter @ShardArtist, on Facebook, and on Google+

As creative artists, not all of us have the time or ability to pursue our craft full-time.  So many of us try to squeeze our art into those little idle moments of the day that may sometimes be found in those quiet pre-dawn hours, in the evening after working a full-time job, or even late at night after putting our kids to bed.  We do it because it’s important to us.  We do it because creativity has a way of not being ignored for long.

Cate is a mixed-media artist who knows what it’s like to balance the demands of daily life with the demands of her creative soul.  She is widely known online as the “Shard Artist” (kind of sounds like a superhero doesn’t it?) and works primarily in mosaics due to the limited time and space that she currently has available to create her art. Don’t feel too sorry for Cate, however, because her mosaic artwork is spectacular.  Here’s what Cate had to say about her work on her “Bits & Pieces” website in a terrific autobiographical post entitled “Finding the artist, one more time.”

“…After eight years of artistic celibacy; I’m not dead and my spirit thrives. It did, however, become evident during that time that making art is an essential part of who I am…. Mosaic art makes it possible to build and sculpt using mixed media, to play with colour, to be expressive, and as traditional or avant-garde as I choose. It can be done in a relatively small space and doesn’t require concentrated periods of time. So, I bought some books and started breaking things.”

One of the things that I like most about Cate’s story (besides her amazing personality) is the message that there is always room for some type of art in your life.  Whether it’s painting, writing, photography, or music —  If you are willing to open yourself up, the creative spirit will find a way to express itself.

Cate is once again finding her way as an artist and feeding her creative soul.  Most days you can find Cate on Twitter or Facebook sharing the work of her fellow artists and encouraging others to follow their own dreams. Perhaps Cate summed up her creative renaissance best when she said, “It’s time to play again, and whatever the outcome, I’m having fun and feeling once again, like an artist.” It’s always great to hear about an artist who has rediscovered their art and the sheer joy of creating.  It’s even better when that artist is as kind and talented as Cate Thomassen, which is why she will certainly be an artist to watch out for in 2012.

Danielle Davis

Follow Danielle on her Facebook page and on Google+

It’s apparently not enough that Danielle is this amazing visual artist who creates all of these gorgeous abstract paintings that have a way of tickling my literary soul with their unique symbolism, but when I discovered that she also lives in Hawaii, it all became a little unfair.  Just saying.

Fortunately, Danielle is also one of the most nicest artists you’ll ever meet online.  And even though you might think that she could sometimes feel isolated  from the larger arts community because she lives in a palm tree filled paradise out in the middle of the Pacific ocean, but Danielle uses her Facebook page and her art blog to connect with her fans and fellow artists from around the world.  As I’ve said before, because of sites like these, where you live is no longer as important as who you are as a person. It’s all about making those genuine connections online. As Danielle said herself in a recent interview Facebook has “allowed me to enjoy art from all over the world I wouldn’t otherwise see and put me in touch with some incredibly amazing artists.”

Maybe it’s just a result of a misspent liberal college education, but I have always been attracted to abstract art like Danielle’s that speaks a language of metaphoric symbol rather than pure visual form.  Looking through her beautiful online art gallery, I am immediately struck by their clean minimalist feel.  They are almost zen-like in their compositional simplicity but at the same time they also have this deep underlying complexity that’s hiding just beneath the surface waiting to be discovered, which is why Danielle will be an artist we will be watching closely in 2012.

Rachelle Antoinette

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @rachellesplace and on her website

Rachelle is an abstract visual artist based in North Yorkshire.  I have to admit that I’ve been an admirer of  Rachelle’s exquisite artwork for some time, however when I was researching her for this particular post, I was fascinated to learn about her dramatic artistic transformation from the world of wildlife figurative painter to abstract expressionist…

“My transition into abstract expressionism began at dawn break of the new millennium standing on an empty beach except for a stone cold sober me… The sky broke into  iridescent shades and tones of orange changing in front of my eyes for every second that passed, there was no fine detail no obvious representation to speak of,  just form and colour, freedom yet discipline that only nature can create  and it was then I knew this was what I wanted to convey in my paintings.”

I was intrigued by this journey from the world of form to that of formlessness, from certainty to ambiguity.  As I’ve said before, I have always been attracted to abstract work like Rachelle’s extraordinary “The Green Crabtree Falls” and  the ethereal “Evangeline” for it’s ability to convey emotions through colors, shapes, and patterns rather than using iconic images which are far too often laden with their own emotional baggage.

Abstracts, to me, have always been like the Rorschach tests of the mind.  Similar to poetry. You see what your imagination is willing and able to see at that moment.  You provide your own context  and as Rachelle states herself  “the viewer can engage their own imagination rather than me putting it all into a nice neat box for them.”

Besides creating amazing art, Rachelle has also created something which I believe is sheer genius and something that every creative artist should have in his or her marketing arsenal — the video business card.  Take a look at Rachelle’s video business card (she doesn’t actually call it that of course) on YouTube and you’ll begin to see just how powerful something like this can be.  It’s simple enough that anyone could put one together, but think of how great it would be to include something like this on the “About” page of your website rather than some awkwardly worded artist statement.  I could probably go on and tell you about how Rachelle is also one of the nicest people you’ll meet on Twitter, but we’ve simply run out of space, so let me just finish by saying that Rachelle is going to be an artist you’ll want to be watching closely in 2012.

Walt Pascoe

Follow Walt on Twitter @WaltPascoe, on Facebook, and on his Google+ page

Let me just start off by saying that Walt is an amazing visual artist and one of the first people I had the pleasure to meet when we first started up this website.  Like so many of the other artists on this list, Walt is a master at what he does.  He knows (or at least seems to know) exactly who he is as an artist.  In his own words Walt states that . . .

“I’ve been making things for so long that I no longer need attend to my hands and eyes. They hold their own ongoing conversation with the materials, by turns laughing, weeping, speaking with carefully measured clarity, or simply crying out with utter abandon, while my subconscious just seeks,seeks,seeks…..struggling to clean the windshield….determined to keep scrubbing and scraping down to the true new old always present.”

To me that is a mark of a true artist.  One who has given up trying to create something.  One who has finally surrendered himself to his own creative spirit.  And one who no longer considers himself the creator, but simply a channel for the creative force deep within.  In order to get to this point, however, it takes both a mastery of your working tools and techniques, as well as a certain humbleness of character.

Not that any of this means that Walt has become immune to self-doubt.  In one of his insightful art blog posts aptly titled “Savage Uncertainties. Fear and Loathing on the Long, Dark, and Lonesome Road Home”  Walt talks about how he is “still a little taken aback sometime, even after so many years of this, at the angst and self-loathing that can ride up along side you like highwaymen in the night and steal the joy right out of your heart.”  Unfortunately, no matter how far we walk down this dark creative path, we still continue to ride that emotional roller coaster that can takes us from the height of elation to the pit of despair and then back again until we feel like we may be sick to our stomach from the emotional whiplash.

Walt’s artwork seems to defy explanation because it seems to have been pulled directly from his subconscious and we are left without an interpreter.  His work is filled with these striking swirling patterns, colors, and an eerie sense of symmetry… and then of course, there are the famous Pascoe saws.  This remarkable contrast between the swirling softness and the jagged sharpness of the saws is only part of the Pascoe magic that pulls you in and makes you realize that you are looking at something that is far beyond interpretation. Trust me when I say that Walt Pascoe is an exceptional artist whom I have been watching for years, and if you haven’t already, you’ll certainly want to keep an eye on him in 2012.

Laurie Maves

Follow Laurie on Twitter @LaurieMavesArt , on Facebook, and on her YouTube channel

Here’s what I love about Laurie, she clearly loves what she does.  I mean she’s out there having fun while creating her art and it shows in everything she does whether it’s one of her signature lollipop paintings, an inspiring blog post, or one of her amazing videos.   Laurie puts her heart and soul into everything she does which is why she is a postive creative force to be reckoned with.

You don’t have to spend too much time around here before you realize that Laurie feeds off the creative energy around her.  Whether she is working in her studio with her friend and fellow creative conspirator Peggy Dyer, or putting on one of her innovative Live Painting events, Laurie puts her heart and creative soul into everything she does.  Her artwork reflects all of this positive energy whether she is painting one of her exquisite poppies or one of her beautiful abstracts.

Beyond her seemingly endless supply of creative energy, one of the things that I admire about Laurie is how often she seeks out creative collaboration with others regardless if they are visual artists, photographers, musicians, or poets.  Laurie says that “she feels that she shines her brightest when she finds other creative souls to conspire with.”  In other words, it’s never just about her creating her next work, it’s about inspiring others to tap into their own creative potential as well.  This is what great artists do.  They constantly find ways to give back to the creative universe around them.  Laurie understands that by encouraging, cultivating, and collaborating with other artists — we become better artists ourselves, which is why Laurie will certainly be an artist to watch in 2012.

Chris O’Hoski

Follow Chris on Twitter @chrisohoski and on his Facebook page

Although I haven’t known Chris for as long as many of the other artists on this list, it hasn’t taken long to become a huge fan of him both as an artist and as a friend.  As a painter, Chris works primarily with the human form which he notes is “perhaps the one thing we’ll never figure out, inside or out.”  In the literary world, we might call these profound character studies. Whether it is film, art, literature, or (gulp!) reality television — it is always the memorable characters who pull us deeply into their world. They are archetypes of our own lives and imagination.  These are characters who are reflecting upon their lives, their past decisions, and how they got to be where they currently are.  We find them so fascinating and irresistible because we often recognize some small part of ourselves within them.

Back when I was teaching, as a creative writing exercise, we would often take pictures from magazines and create stories about them.  What was their unique story? What was happening to them? Where do they go from here?  Looking through some of Chris’s amazing artwork immediately brought this all back.  His work captures something far deeper than an ordinary portrait.  He has set out to capture not the face itself, but that which exists behind that face.  With a stroke of his brush Chris has somehow managed to capture an entire personality, which is why he will certainly be an artist to watch in 2012.

Melanie Jai

Follow Melanie on her website and her Facebook page

They say that art is often the expression of raw emotion, but for visual artist Melanie Jai, it has become her life’s mission.  Melanie is an Australian artist with a message.  In her own words, she describes her work as “a mother’s heartfelt journey into the chaos and confusion of Autism Spectrum Disorder….

Knowing that your child is not, and never will be, what is considered ‘normal’ is very confronting and frightening.  Painting has become my therapy, my vessel through which to feel what he feels, to attempt to understand his world in the hope that answers will present themselves.  Using a highly stylised version of myself the artworks unfold through my eyes, yet tell his stories. Each artwork tackles a base emotion that we all experience at some time, the difference being that ASD sufferers experience these strong emotions all the time.  I have chosen to share these emotions, in the hope of inspiring understanding, compassion and acceptance for those who struggle to communicate these emotions themselves.”

When I first encountered Melanie’s powerful artwork, I did not realize any of this of course, it was her unique and distinctive style that had first attracted my attention.  As I browsed through her online art portfolio, I became captivated at how each one of her paintings evoked a mood or emotional situation so perfectly.  Her extraordinary artwork are whimsical and powerful statements of both our deepest fears and our greatest hopes.  They are visual stories and emotional snapshots, that in her own words, are “raw, sometimes gentle and nurturing, other times blatant and unforgiving, but always real and pure.” 

As she says herself, however, “this story far from gloom and doom.  It is primarily a celebration of the struggles and triumphs of these unique, beautiful children who have this condition.  Children who grow to shape this world, to challenge our way of thinking, to show us what it is to have integrity, honesty, purity of thought, astounding intelligence, freedom from prejudice, and total devotion.  They are truly inspirational.”

She is right of course.  As both creative artists and human beings, I believe that all of us have within us our own unique stories to share with the world.  And for every artist like Melanie who may have found their story to tell, there are many of us who are still out there searching for our own unique voice.  I greatly admire Melanie as both an artist and as a parent, which is why she will certainly be an artist that we will be watching in 2012.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed getting to know these 21 talented artists a little better.  Even though I regret every year having to leave out so many deserving artists, it is an honor and a privilege to be able to share these extraordinary individuals with you.  Thank you again for being a part of our Skinny Artist community

Here are some other articles you might enjoy:

1. 21 Artists to Watch in 2011
2. 21 Artists to Watch in 2010
3. Check out the Artist Online Community Directory

Every once in awhile when we get our act together here at Skinny Artist, we have the pleasure of introducing you to a new featured artist.  We have them sit down and talk to us for a few minutes about their experiences working as a creative professional. We’ll talk to them about their work, some of the biggest challenges they have faced, and some of the most important lessons they have learned along the way.

Many of you may already know Connie Hozvicka of Dirty Footprints Studio from talking with her on Twitter, Facebook, or maybe from attending one of her online workshops.  Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Connie and talk with her about her art, her thoughts on what it means to be an artist, and how a nice Catholic girl from Ohio became this fearless and formally-dreadlocked yoga mama artist that we now know and love.

During our conversation we talked about why she was willing to walk away from a regular paycheck as an art teacher and how that decision changed her life.  I discover the secret behind the Dirty Footprints Studio name. Connie talks about some of the risks and rewards of artists who put their thoughts and their artwork online opening themselves up to criticism.  She remembers the moment she decided to stop trying to sell her artwork all together — and how she ended up receiving more commissions than she could handle.  Finally she talks about the joy of helping others along their own artistic journey by encouraging them to unleash their creative gift to the world without fear of judgment.

You can check out Connie’s featured artist page and read our entire conversation by clicking on the image below:

Artist Connie Hozvicka

Here are some other articles you might enjoy:

1. Meet Alicia “Kat” Dillman of KatGirl Studio
2. Meet artist Trevor Jones
3. 21 Artists to Watch in 2010

Artist Online Community Directory

As a community-based site, our purpose is to not only give you the opportunity to interact with this amazing worldwide creative community we have here at Skinny Artist, but also to connect with one another beyond this particular website.

So many of us have multiple websites and social media accounts set up that it’s sometimes difficult to find out where exactly our favorite artists hang out, so I was hoping to establish a simple online artist community directory where we could easily find everyone’s online information in one place. This will only work, however, if you are willing to add your information to this page.

So whether you are a visual artist, writer, photographer, musician, graphic artist, illustrator, or simply a creative soul trying to live your art everyday — We sincerely hope that you’ll join us!

Please check out the new Artist Online Community Directory and let us know where we can find you and your art online!

Here are some other articles you might enjoy:

1. How to Create (and destroy) your Reputation Online as an Artist!
2. 5 Fears that can Destroy an Artist
3. Meet artist Trevor Jones

Some of you may already know our latest Featured Artist: Trevor Jones from Twitter, Facebook, or from reading his insightful blog.  If you know Trevor, you know that he’s always hard at work, which is why I was excited to have the opportunity to sit down with Trevor and talk to him about his art, his latest projects, and how a Canadian like himself ended up living and teaching art in Scotland.

We talk a little bit about social media and which celebrities Trevor is currently stalking on Twitter.  He talks about why he thinks that it’s so important to get involved in the arts community, whether it’s simply on a local level or in an international charity art exhibition.  Trevor talks about how he had to overcome his fears in order to share his art with others inside the classroom. He shares with us his three simple rules for attracting good karma and why an artist can’t be afraid to fail. He also explains why he has a soft-spot for restoring the Scottish Caledonian forest and the moment he realized that he was going to need some help in order to make that happen.

You can check out Trevor’s featured artist page and read the entire interview by clicking on the image below:

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Artist Trevor Jones

Please click on Trevor’s painting to visit him on his Featured Artist page!

Here are some other articles you might enjoy:

1. Meet Alicia “Kat” Dillman of KatGirl Studio
2. 21 Artists to Watch in 2011
3. 21 Artists to Watch in 2010

"Diaphanous Daffodil" by Julia Forsyth

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As many of you know, last year Skinny Artist published a list of 21 Amazing Artists to Watch in 2010. Since then, I’ve gotten to know many of these artists better, and I consider myself lucky to be able to call so many of them now my friends. If you haven’t already had the chance to meet some of these incredible artists, I would really encourage you to take the time to do so.

Now as we settle into 2011, I wanted to take a moment and share with you 21 more amazing artists who I’ve had the pleasure to meet over this past year.  These are not just talented artists, writers, and photographers — but they are extraordinary human beings as well. These artists are out there every day creating their art and offering encouragement to the rest of us through their blogs, Twitter streams, Facebook updates, and Flickr photostreams. They understand the value of sharing their creative process as well as supporting the larger arts community around them, which in the end makes us all better artists.

Also this year, I have the privilege of unveiling the original artwork you see above entitled ”Diaphanous Daffodil” which has been specially commissioned for this occasion.  This spectacular piece of art was created by the lovely and talented Julia Forsyth (@juliaforsythart) who just happens to be one of the amazing artists we featured on the original 2010 Artist to Watch list [see I told you she was cool!]

Finally, as you are reading through this list, please keep in mind that these are obviously not the only artists/writers/photographers on Twitter and Facebook who are worthy of a follow.  I will apologize in advance if I happened to overlook you or someone else you admire.  Unfortunately it’s just not possible to include every deserving artist on a single list, however if there’s someone you would like to mention, please feel free to add them to the list in the comment section below.

Note: You can now follow all of these incredible artists on the official 21 Artists to Watch in 2011 Twitter list!

21 Artists to Watch in 2011

In no particular order of awesomeness!

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1.) Annick McKenzie

Follow Annick on Twitter @annickmckenzie and on Facebook

Annick is one of those artists who just seems to exude creativity and art from every fiber of her being.  Maybe it’s the fact that she was born in France and has lived all over the world, but more than anything, I think it’s that you can almost feel the passion she has for her work in every single painting that she does.  If you take a moment and stroll around her online gallery, you will see Annick’s unique ability to play with color with amazing and often unexpected results.

Like so many of the other artists on this list, however, Annick doesn’t simply create her art and call it a day.  Most days she can be found on Twitter and Facebook encouraging other artists and celebrating their personal success stories with others.   Recently, she has also begun to share more of her own creative process on her new art blog Treasures of the Heart.  Annick is an incredibly talented artist, a kind creative soul, and one who certainly deserves to be at the top of any list of artists to watch in 2011.

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2.) Pete Hobden

Follow Pete on Twitter @PeteHobden and on Facebook

Pete is another one of those visual artists, like Annick, who may have started painting later in life (their words not mine) but seems to be making up for any lost time with a passion.  Pete himself admits that “I am under the spell. I paint my universe.”  The fact that his website is called Pete Hobden’s Painting Adventures really says it all.  This is not a burned-out bitter artist who is simply going through the motions, this is a man who has completely immersed himself in his passion for art and living out his creative dreams.  I mean, just by looking at his avatar, you know that he’s having fun.

Pete is also a member of the informal #Draw365 group on Twitter and is always there supporting the work of his fellow artists. Many of his own extraordinary drawings can be found on his Frequent Drawings site. The thing that impresses me the most, however, is that Pete is one of those generous souls who is always putting other artists first.  He is generally the first one there on Twitter retweeting other people’s work or offering them an encouraging word when they may need it the most.  Pete is truly an amazing artist and an even better friend, which is why he’ll certainly be an artist to watch in 2011.

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3.) Annika R

Follow Annika on Twitter @Ruohoska and Facebook

Annika is an art photographer and teacher who lives in Finland.

As a writer I have always been fascinated by the stories behind a particular photograph or a work of art.  Many people claim they don’t want to peek behind the creative curtain and ruin the magic. To me, however, learning about the thought process and often the struggle that went into creating a particular piece of art, deepens the meaning and beauty of a work immeasurably.  This is what initially drew me into reading Annika’s photography blog and discovering the stories behind many of her magnificent images.

Looking through her online gallery and her Flickr photostream, you begin to see her deep connection with nature and how she is able to capture what so many of us overlook in our daily lives. When she’s not busy trekking through the breath-taking forests capturing these incredible images, Annika can be found sharing her love of nature with her students to whom she teaches environmental education.

If you’re interested in discovering more about Annika and her work, I would really encourage you to check out this fantastic interview Sondra (@Modernmarks) did with Annika recently on her site. Her passion for capturing and preserving the beauty of the natural world shows in everything that she does, which is why Annika is an artist to we will be watching in 2011.

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4.) Cat Salter

Follow Cat on Twitter @CatSalterArtist and Facebook

Cat is an artist and photographer who lives in the U.K., however, it’s her kind and generous personality that has earned her friends and fans all over the world.

I’ve always admired artists who are able to create a signature style for themselves that becomes unmistakable.  These are the artists who can take any subject and turn it into something uniquely their own.  Cat is clearly one of those rare and talented artists.  As you view a collection of her artwork, you can begin to see that almost invisible thread that connects them and infuses them with the soul of that particular artist.

If Cat was simply a great artist alone, however, she probably wouldn’t have made this list because the world is filled with great artists who wouldn’t give you the time of day unless you had your checkbook in your hand.  Cat, however, doesn’t just show her work–she shares it.  On her remarkable art blog, she shares with us some of her favorite tools and techniques along with some lessons she as learned along the way. She has even created some helpful tutorial guides for the beginning artist or curious art aficionado. It is this unique blend of artistic talent, magnetic personality, and generosity that makes Cat an artist to watch in 2011.

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5.) David Sandum

Follow David on Twitter @DavidSandumArt

David is one of those artists who I discovered I was watching long before I ever officially followed him.  Anyone who has been involved in the Twitter arts community for awhile has probably seen @DavidSandumArt pop up frequently.  David is a fantastic visual artist, but he is also an incredible social connector.  If you’re an artist on Twitter, chances are most of your current (and future) artist friends are already connected through David. He is kind of like the Kevin Bacon of the Twittersphere where no one is more than one or two connections away from him.

As is you needed any more proof of David’s ability to bring artists together, last year he organized the first ever international #TwitterArtExhibit in order to raise money to support the public library in Moss, Norway.  Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of artists around the world, it was a remarkable success and David was able to solidify his already considerable reputation as an artist who brings people together.

As I mentioned previously, David is also an amazing visual artist. You can view all of his latest artwork on his gallery website and while you are there, be sure to read the interview about how he discovered his passion for art because it is a truly inspiring story. David’s artistic talent, his selfless generosity, as well as his ability to bring people together for a greater cause is why he is an artist to watch in 2011.

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6.) Hannah Stephenson (aka The Storialist )

Follow Hannah on Twitter @thestorialist and Facebook

Hannah is an extraordinary writer and poet who does what so many other writers fail to do. . .  she writes a lot.  Unlike so many other writers and especially poets I see online who typically post something every few months, Hannah publishes her work almost everyday.  In fact she’s had over 500 posts on her site The Storialist since it began.  As someone who’s seen far too many blogs come and go within 6 months, this is remarkable. It clearly demonstrates how much respect she has for her craft as well as for her audience.

Hannah is very active on Facebook and Twitter but she is always looking for new ways to connect with her friends and fans around the world.  Recently she began to experiment with adding videos of her poetry readings on her site, which I think is a great way for any artist to share their personality with their audience.  And even though it doesn’t really seem fair, Hannah is a great singer as well.  Recently she has begun sharing her amazing vocal work on Soundcloud and is well worth checking out.  Between her talent, her dedication to her craft, and her natural ability to connect with her audience –Hannah is certainly an artist we will be watching in 2011.

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7.) Lynn Bennett-Mackenzie

Follow Lynn on Twitter @lynnbmackartist and Facebook

Lynn is another one of those visual artists who have somehow developed this amazing signature style that is completely her own.  Her artwork has a fantastical dream-like quality to it that swirls in color and form. Into her artwork she weaves these mythic stories and symbols that serve to create an emotional connection with the viewer. Describing her work, Lynn says that “she is fascinated by the notion of what is around us that cannot be seen but often felt by some, faith, and the way people interpret consciousness & reality.”

When she’s not busy in the studio (and sometimes even when she is) Lynn can often be found on Twitter and Facebook supporting her fellow artists and interacting with her friends and fans from around the world.  Lynn is not just a fantastic artist, however, she is also a great writer and every week I look forward to reading her latest thoughts and stories on her wonderful art blog.  I really like the fact that she doesn’t simply talk about her latest work, but she openly talks about her journey as an artist and how it has changed her as both an artist and a human being. It is this exceptional mixture of talent, pure imagination, and openness that makes Lynn an artist to watch in 2011.

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8.) Trevor Jones

Follow Trevor on Twitter @trevorjonesart and Facebook

Let me just say up front that Trevor Jones is a dangerous artist. He’s not just dangerous because he hangs out with Jon Lord of Deep Purple & Whitesnake, he’s dangerous because he knows exactly what it takes to market himself as a visual artist online in 2011. He knows that it takes a lot more than simply making great art in order to become a successful money-making kind of artist.

While so many artists are still out there wooing gallery owners, Trevor has not only created his own virtual gallery on his website but he has also made it dead simple for people to purchase his incredible artwork through his online store. He doesn’t make you go over to Etsy and create a pointless account in order to buy something — you just click, pay, and it’s yours!

Now if Trevor was simply a great artist/businessman we’d still be able to learn something from him but he probably wouldn’t have been included on this list. Fortunately, Trevor is a fantastic person as well and he is always willing to share his thoughts and ideas with the rest of us on his art blog.   When he’s not busy creating his art, connecting with other artists on Twitter and Facebook, or teaching an art class, Trevor is often raising money for the Art in Healthcare charity which recently auctioned off an autographed Gibson guitar that he had personally refinished and painted. As a visual artist who clearly understands the value of giving back and connecting with the larger artist community, Trevor is absolutely an artist to watch in 2011.

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9.) Sarah Wiske

Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahWiskeArt and Facebook

If you think all visual artists are gloomy self-absorbed people, you clearly haven’t met Sarah Wiske.  Sarah’s personality is as cheerful and whimsical as her beautiful artwork.  When I first met Sarah several months ago on Twitter, I figured out fairly quickly that she was going to turn out to be an artist to watch in 2011.

I’ve already said this far too many times on this site, but when it comes to marketing yourself and your creative work to the online world – it will ultimately be your personality that gets you noticed. People don’t just buy art, they buy the artist.  In this day and age of blogs and endless social media updates, talent alone is simply no longer enough to break though. Fortunately for Sarah she not only has the right personality, but she has an incredible amount of creative talent as well.

One of the things that has impressed me the most about Sarah is the fact that she has this amazing ability to connect with people and make them feel like a friend first and a potential customer second.  Recently Sarah launched her new beautifully designed website and has been sharing her latest thoughts with us on her art blog. When you find someone with this much artistic talent combined with an extraordinary personality, there’s no doubt that Sarah will be an artist to watch in the upcoming year.

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10.) Kat Ostrow

Follow Kat on Twitter @katost

One of the things that impresses me most about Kat as a visual artist is that she is never afraid to take chances in her work.  If you take a few minutes and read through her Painting in Progress art blog, you’ll see how she’s willing to follow her vision wherever it leads. I think she sums this up beautifully when she said recently. . .

“Life happens and if you are a painter then it spills right out onto the canvas regardless of plans or intent. That is why every canvas I paint is a map of my inner workings at that moment and that is why after layering those emotions/ braiding them one on top of another >> the canvas carries those emotions. For me it is the emotion more than the figure that I am painting.”

She is one of the least self-conscious artists I have ever met and her complete willingness to follow her instincts and focus on the creative emotional process rather than the final product is truly remarkable.  Check out her online art gallery and then go back to her blog in order to see how a particular piece came to be.

Kat also shares her creative process on Twitter and hardly a day that goes by where she is not busy sharing another artist’s work, supporting their dreams, or celebrating their small victories. She is truly an amazing friend and certainly an artist worth watching in the year ahead.

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11.) Sarah Marie Lacy

Follow Sarah on Twitter @smlacy and Facebook

Let me start off by saying that Sarah isn’t just an artist to watch in 2011 because she’s going to be spending a good portion of it having the time of her life studying art in France at the Studio Escalier. It’s also not just the fact that she is one of the nicest people I know on Twitter.  And it’s certainly not the fact that she is an extraordinary painter and perhaps an even better writer . . . then again maybe it’s all of those reasons.

One of the things that I’ve always admired about Sarah is her unique sense of openness, vulnerability, and pure determination to succeed.  Every week she writes a remarkable column on her blog entitled The Sunday Hug.  These articles address the issues that so many of us face but far fewer of us are willing to risk talk about.  Things such as “Doing the things that scare you” “Forgotten Dreams” and “The Difficulty of Dreams“.

Don’t let any of this distract you from the fact that Sarah is a fantastic painter and I would certainly encourage you to check out her online painting portfolio.  Let’s be honest though, as good of an artist as she may be, Sarah is an even better human being, and that’s why she is an artist to watch in 2011.

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12.) Mary Vargas

Follow Mary on Twitter @artinwater

One of the things we talk about all of the time on this site is about the importance of connecting with your fellow artists and potential customers by allowing them to see the person behind the art.  Mary is one of those rare visual artists who not only understands this, but somehow she makes it look virtually effortless at the same time.  When you look at any of her gorgeous time-lapse painting videos on her YouTube channel you can’t help but wonder why more visual artists don’t do this.  People love to see the creative process in action.  Mary also uses videos intermixed with her own paintings on her remarkable Vargas Art Studio website.

The subjects of Mary’s paintings are typically common everyday objects painted in an extraordinary way.  Her work has this amazing subtlety of form and color that her watercolor technique accentuates perfectly. When she’s not busy painting, Mary can usually be found on Twitter supporting her fellow artists and friends. In everything she does online, it’s obvious that Mary loves to connect with people, lift them up, and share her art. This is the reason Mary Vargas will be an artist you’ll want to be watching in 2011.

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13.) Jessica Kristie

Follow Jessica on Twitter @jesskristie and Facebook

Jessica is another one of those rare poets that actually writes poetry.  She understands that poetry, like any other type of creative art is not simply an act of inspired thought, but inspired action.  Her poetry blog is not only filled with some incredibly poetry, but she also includes her prose writing, related videos, and insightful author interviews as well.  When she’s not busy writing, Jessica can usually be found on Twitter connecting with other writers and sharing the latest news on her Facebook Fan page.

I was first introduced to Jessica through an interview she did recently with The Dark Press. It was then that I realized that Jessica wasn’t your typical sporadic internet poet who only seems to be inspired to write when they are feeling sad.  In the interview Jessica talked about how it’s not enough to simply write the poetry, but how you also have to then put it out into the world.  Not just tucked away in some dark corner of your blog that no one reads, but actually submitting your work to publishers both online and off.  She talks about the importance of polishing and editing your work and only submitting a piece of work to relevant publishers. In other words, Jessica is not just another poet wannabe, she is a professional writer.  This is why it came as no surprise to me to discover that Jessica’s new poetry compilation “Dreaming in Darkness” will be published this Spring by Willow Moon Publishing.  Jessica will be an artist we will be watching (and reading) in 2011.

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14.) Rebecca Phillips

Follow Rebecca on Twitter @LillyBeckArt and Facebook

Let me just say upfront, that Rebecca is one of those artists who have the ability to rekindle your faith in humanity.  She is living proof that it’s possible to be an extremely talented artist and an incredibly nice person at the same time.  I have rarely met a more kind and generous spirit who is always busy sharing other people’s work on Twitter as well as her Lilly Beck Art Facebook fan page.

Her wildlife paintings and photographs remind me of those beautiful vintage postcards that you would pick up at some exotic island locale.  This is not surprising considering that she makes her home on the picture perfect Sunshine Coast in Australia. Having had the pleasure of visiting Australia last year, I can tell you that there are very few places that can match the sheer natural beauty of that area and Rebecca captures it perfectly in her work.

As I’ve said many time before, I always enjoy it when an artist is willing to share his or her creative thought process with the rest of us.  Rebecca uses her art blog as a way of setting the backdrop for her latest work.  She doesn’t just tell you what she did, instead she tells you what she was thinking, any concerns or doubts she may have had about it, and also how a piece might have turned out differently than she had initially imagined. It sounds real, because it is real. Rebecca’s not using her blog to try and sell you her work, or make herself out to be some infallible artistic genius, she’s just sharing her creative process. She’s a real person creating some incredible art, which in my book, makes her an artist to watch in 2011.

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15.) Patti Agapi

Follow Patti on Twitter @madwithrapture and Facebook

I have to admit that Patti’s artwork fascinates me.  Her mixed-media collage work are like little microcosms of the entire creative process.  They’re amazingly colorful. They have all of these layers that run far deeper than you  can imagine. They’re sometimes crazy and chaotic, but they are always extraordinarily beautiful.  To me they are pure imagination unleashed.

With the risk of offending her, I’ve always seen Patti as a creative kindred spirit of mine, because she has this incredible ability to pull seemingly unrelated references from literature, poetry, photographs, music, and artwork together in order to create this spectacular creative soup that is then translated into her art. Take a few minutes and read through her fascinating Mad with Rapture blog as well as her studio website to see how Patti is able to find inspiration virtually anywhere.

When she’s not busy stirring up her creative soup, Patti  can almost always be found on Twitter or her Mad with Rapture Studio Facebook fan page supporting her fellow artists and sharing her latest #draw365 drawings with the world.  Personally I can’t wait to see what Patti has in store for us next, which is why she will be an artist to watch in 2011.

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16.) Terrill Welch

Follow Terrill on Twitter @terrillwelch

On her website Terrill tells us that she is a woman living a life of simple abundance, but that only tells you half of the story.  Terrill is what I like to call a pure creative spirit.  She has created this amazing life for herself where she is able to paint, write, or photograph beauty wherever she may find it.  She makes no attempt to define it, only to recognize it in its native state.  After reading her powerful artist biography, I was once again reminded about how the creative tools we are given to explore as children can have such a profound effect on us for the rest of our lives.

Terrill shares her creative process with us on her  Creativepotager blog where she talks about her latest works and discoveries.  She writes about her life and her art and each post ends with a unique “Sprout” question that is intended to get the reader thinking and interacting with the topic in a creative new way.  While you’re there, be sure to take a moment to enjoy Terrill’s beautiful paintings and photographs in her online galleries.

She may be living a life of simple abundance but with over 16,000 tweets to her credit, Terrill still loves to connect with other artists on Twitter. Most days she can be found there continuing the conversation and sharing the best the Twitter arts community has to offer.  She is an extraordinary artist and a truly remarkable person as well, which is why she will be an artist worth watching in 2011.

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17.) Sky Pape

Follow Sky on Twitter @skypape

It should probably come as no surprise given her name that Sky is an artistic breath of fresh air. Just when you think you may have seen everything the art world has to offer, you stumble upon an artist whose incredible artwork doesn’t neatly fit into anything you’ve seen before. Sky describes her unique style as “an intensive examination of traditional drawing materials through unconventional methods.” She calls them drawings, I call them visual experiences that have to be seen to be believed.  In this day and age where computer-gernated fractals and digital images are seemingly everywhere, you can sometimes forget the raw power and emotion that can only be found in a hand-drawn design created by a extremely talented artist.

Her latest work is a collection of extraordinary black-and-white Sumi ink drawings created on handmade paper.  Any attempt by me to actually describe these drawings would be incredibly foolish so I’ll allow you to experience them for yourself.  While you’re off exploring, however, be sure to stop by Sky’s Drawn Together art blog and read one of her in-depth articles on a variety of art-related topics.  When she’s not busy dazzling the eye with her art, Sky can often be found on Twitter sharing links to all of the latest news in the art world or cheering on her fellow artists. With a unique mixture of massive creative talent and a caring heart, Sky is an artist to watch in 2011.

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18.) Michelle “Shell” Rummel

Follow Shell on Twitter @shellartistree and Facebook

Those of you who have followed this site for awhile know that I’ve always been drawn artists who use the world around them to inspire their work.  Some artists use photography to find inspiration while others use poetry or music to feed their art. For some artists, anything and everything around them is fair game.  Shell is one of those amazing artists who is able to find inspiration from virtually any source.

Her beautiful watercolor paintings and photographs almost always include a poem or a short verse that inspired them, which she generously shares with us on her ShellArtistree website. Sometimes they are the work of others, but many times they are poems she has written herself.  That’s right, in addition to being a fantastic painter and photographer, Shell is quite a gifted writer as well.  While it may not seem entirely fair to me that she has been blessed with all of these talents, it is a distinct pleasure to watch this incredibly creative mind at work.

It would be far easier to be jealous of Shell, however, if she wasn’t also one of the nicest most selfless people I’ve met on Twitter.  Every day, she can be found online connecting with the  Twitter arts community and sharing their latest work or personal triumphs with her followers.  Shell also takes the time to talk about her creative influences and daily progress on her Shell Artistree Facebook fan page. As an incredibly talented artist who has this rare ability to make everyone else around her shine, Shell is an artist you should be watching in 2011.

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19.) Russ Potak

Follow Russ on Twitter @russpotak and Facebook

Having lived in New Hampshire myself years ago, Russ represents everything that I remember and still admire about the beautiful New England region.  I remember how words are always measured carefully and praise (or blame) is never handed out indiscriminately.   I remember the pride of independence mixed in with the willingness to always help out a neighbor in need.  I remember the sound of the mountains and seashore colliding together and I remember that eerie silence after a fresh snow.  As an artist, I’m assuming that Russ is not directly responsible for any of this (at least I don’t think), but once you see his amazing artwork you’ll begin to understand it is forever linked to these proud New England ideals. To me his work has this extraordinary impressionistic view that not only captures this region’s physical beauty but its very essence as well.

Russ talks about his creative process on his art blog and how he is always experimenting with new methods and techniques just to see where they lead. Like so many of the other artists and writers on this list, Russ understands that he is not always in control of the creative process and he mentioned this fact in a recent blog post:

“How a work evolves, is how it evolves. I can direct, .. but things can happen along the way which I did not anticipate. That is one of the exciting things about exploring the creative process. It holds in store mysteries, not yet revealed, until the work, becomes a work in progress.”

In the end, true art is always a process of give and take. It is an exploration. It is discovery of oneself. As an artist, Russ is constantly listening, learning, and exploring new ideas which not only makes him an incredibly gifted artist, but an artist to watch in 2011.

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20.) Daina Scarola

Follow Daina on Twitter @ArtByDaina and Facebook

I’ve always admired those rare creative artists (or anyone for that matter) who not only have this incredible passion for what they do, but have managed to carve out their own unique niche in the creative art world.  Daina calls herself a Surf Artist which apparently is code for awesome artist who gets to hang out on the beach and surf a lot for “research”.  This is yet another painful reminder that I have apparently chosen the wrong career path for myself.  Daina’s artwork combines her love for nature and the ocean, and has this amazing retro-vibe that can’t help but take you back to those old Hawaiian surf shops in the 1950′s-60′s.

Daina posts regularly on her Art by Daina blog where she talks about her latest projects as well as sharing some of her favorite artists and websites from around the web. Like so many of the other artists on this list, Daina can be found daily interacting with the growing arts community on Twitter as well as her Surf Art Facebook fan page.  As Daina continues to surf and create her extraordinary art, she is an artist we will definitely be watching in 2011.

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21.) Mona K

Follow Mona on Twitter @monakart

I’ll admit that a few months ago, I had never even heard of the poet and visual artist named Mona K.   I hadn’t seen any of her amazing drawings or admired her visually stunning figurative paintings.  I hadn’t yet witnessed any of her ethereal dreamlike landscapes that often appear to be the creative descendants of J.R.R. Tolkien himself. I hadn’t yet experienced her metaphoric still-lifes that are a far cry from the typical fruit and flower motifs, and are chocked full of enough symbolic objects to make even the most jaded Jungian smile. Needless to say, I have quickly become a fan of this incredibly talented artist.

Mona had this to say about her creative process. . .

“What reflects on the canvas is the breaking point of were my inner world meets the exteriour world.Sometimes its a conversation,  sometimes a wish, a vision, a dream  . . . sometimes it’s a question. . . if I been lucky then its an understanding I am still exploring”

As if that’s not enough, Mona is a remarkable writer as well.  Her poetry, like her art, is a rich mixture of visual imagery and dreamlike symbolism which can all be witnessed in her extraordinary poem “Insomnia“.  Mona chronicles all of her latest poetry, paintings, and creative thoughts on her art blog.  Even though I may have missed out on following her last year, I certainly won’t make that mistake again, which is why Mona is an artist to watch in 2011.

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Here are some other articles you might enjoy:

1. 21 Artists to Watch in 2010

Now that we are entering into the second half of 2010.  I wanted to take a moment and share with you 21 amazing artists I have had the pleasure to meet over the past six months, and artists that you’ll certainly want to keep your eye on in the years ahead.

Some of these artists you may already know, while others you may be meeting for the very first time.  Those of you who have followed Skinny Artist for awhile will know that these artists were chosen not only for their considerable artistic ability, but also for their willingness to share themselves and their creative process with the rest of us. In other words, they are real people, doing real art, every single day.

Now obviously these aren’t the only artists on Twitter and Facebook who are worthy of a follow and I will apologize in advance if I happened to overlook you or someone else you admire.  Unfortunately we were not able to include all of our favorite artists due to space considerations, however if there’s someone you would like to mention, please feel free to add them to the list in the comment section below.

If you’re interested, you can follow all of these artists from one Twitter list.  Check out: 21 Artists to Watch in 2010

Finally, please note that our two previously featured artists here on the site Char Reed and Kat Dillman were not eligible to be included in this list because you should already be watching them, and we wanted to recognize as many new artists as possible.  We will however include both of these amazing young artists in our 21 Artist to Watch Twitter list above.  If you haven’t already, I would certainly encourage you to follow them as well as check out their featured artist pages.

21 Artists to Watch in 2010

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In no particular order of awesomeness!

1.) Alison Jardine

Follow Alison on Twitter @alisonjardine and Facebook

Alison is an amazing painter, however, it was the writing on her blog that made me first sit up and take notice of this amazing artist.  She has an incredible degree of vulnerability and self-reflection in her work and in her writing that has the ability to speak to any type of artist.  I think she’s exactly right when she says in her artist statement that “Ultimately, inevitably, all my works of art are self-portraits.”

Alison, like most all of the other artists on this list, can be found daily on Twitter sharing her thoughts and her creative process as well as always offering support and encouragement to the artists around her. You can find a sampling of Alison’s incredible artwork in her Ugallery as well as her photostream on Flickr.

2.) Damien Franco

Follow Damien on Twitter @DamienFranco [although you probably won't find him on Facebook anytime soon]

Damien is a art photographer who, like Alison, currently lives in Texas.  Although he certainly isn’t an obscure undiscovered artist as his 17,000 Twitter followers will attest, Damien is an incredible photographer as well as a self-proclaimed  ”all-around nice guy” (which is true).  Damien really caught my eye with a blog post he did last month called “Ordinary Artist” where he talks about the importance of accepting ourselves as we are and valuing the process instead of the product of our work.  This is a message that I believe that any artist can appreciate.

You can see a sampling of Damien’s amazing art photography in his online gallery as well as on his Flickr photostream

3.)Erin Richardson

Follow Erin on Twitter @Erinsartjournal and on Facebook

In the short time that I have followed Erin I have always been struck not only by her remarkable paintings but also by her creative process. Some artists believe that a piece of art should be allowed to stand on its own, however, I have always admired artists who were willing to share the emotional and psychological elements that went into creating a particular piece of art as well.   It is this sense of vulnerability, doubt, and self-reflection in the creative process that adds a degree of depth and humanness to the finished product.

All of us feel these things once in awhile as we go through our creative process, the difference is that not all of us have the courage to open ourselves up and share these emotions with others.  Erin, however, shares all of this and more on her amazing blog and I would really  encourage you to check out her “Bench in Progress” as well as her revealing “Art as Therapy” posts in order to see what I’m talking about.

You can see Erin’s amazing artwork on her Flickr gallery as well as her website.

4.)Caroline Nevin (aka RubiesAreBlue)

Follow Caroline on Twitter @RubiesAreBlue and on Facebook

When you first look at one of Caroline’s paintings, portraits, or one of her incredible series you realize almost immediately that something is different.  You may not even be able to put you finger on what exactly it is, but it is as if an invisible thread runs through all of her paintings rendering them all irrevocably original and unique.  To me an artist such as this, one who has clearly found her voice, is an artist one should consider following very closely.

If Caroline was simply an amazing artist, however, she probably wouldn’t have made this list.  The sad truth is that the world is full of incredibly talented people who you would walk across the street to avoid.  Fortunately, Caroline is a wonderful human being as well.  In fact, if you’ve spent any time at all around the artist community on Twitter, chances are good that you’ve seen @RubiesAreBlue mentioned in more than a few tweets. The reason, is that Caroline is always extraordinarily supportive and generous with her fellow artists.

I would really encourage you to take a few minutes and stop by her blog or visit with her a bit on Twitter.  I truly believe that when you do,  you’ll understand why we say that she is an artist to watch.

5.) Julia Forsyth

Follow Julia on Twitter @JuliaForsythArt

Even though I have only known about most of these artists for a short time, there are always a few artists who you immediately connect with–Julia is one of those artists.  If you take a quick look at her Twitter stream, however, the reason for this becomes obvious.  Julia is a human being first and an artist second.  This in no way diminishes her ability as an artist.  In fact, she is a fantastic artist.  It’s just that she also has this amazing ability to connect with other people.  If you notice, virtually all of her tweets are either RTs or personal reply messages, which means that she is not only reading your stuff, but she wants to talk to you about it.  To me this is a blueprint to building amazing relationships with other artists on Twitter.

Her paintings are an incredible blend of colorful mosaics and intricate patterns that have to be seen to be believed.  You can experience them all by visiting her online painting portfolio.

6.) S L Donaldson

Follow her on Twitter @artbySDonaldson

Even though I admit that I don’t even know her first name, there is no doubt that she is an artist worth watching in the years ahead.  I first met her on Twitter a few months ago and she has been a great supporter of Skinny Artist ever since.  Like so many other artists on this list, she not only has a knack for creating exceptional art, but she also has this amazing ability to connect and support her fellow artists.

Take a few minutes to visit her blog and see some of the remarkable artwork in her online gallery and you’ll begin to understand what I’m talking about.  If you haven’t already, be sure to follow her on Twitter as well. It might be the best decision you make all day!

7.) Sabina Forbes II

Follow Sabina on Twitter @SabinaForbes2 and on Facebook

Sabina has this amazing boldness to her work that is distinct and unmistakable.  Her mixture of colors and patterns is what instantly draws you to her work, however, it is her incredible personality that makes you want become a fan.  Like her work itself, Sabina’s website is infused with color that hints at the playful personality of the artist behind the eyes.  Sabina’s online gallery is filled with amazing works of art that are both diverse yet distinctively hers.

Like so many other artists featured on this list, Sabina has a natural ability to interact with others.  Her Twitter stream is filled with messages, replies, and RTs as she connects with her fellow artists and friends.  The recurring theme here is that artists who are going to succeed in the 21st century are going to be the ones who are able to interact with their fans as both an artist and a human being.  There are simply too many options out there these days to care about an artist who is unapproachable. Don’t be afraid to open up and share yourself.  After all, you’re already sharing your art/writing/music with the world, you might also want to share some of your personality as well.  This is something that Sabina, and virtually all of the other artists on this list, do extremely well.

Visit Sabina’s Flikr photostream in order to see more of her amazing work.

8.) Jonahh Oestreich

Follow Jonah on Twitter @jonahhphoto

Jonahh is a fascinating combination of photographer and poet whose work immediately stood out to me the first time I saw it.  As a writer, I am always intrigued when a visual artist uses words and images together in order to create something entirely new. On his remarkable blog, Jonahh combines his stunning photographs with his remarkable poetry, which together create a new depth of meaning to the work.  Here is just one recent example entitled “Age of Serenity“.

If you have the time, I would really encourage you to dig a little deeper into his extraordinary website and immerse yourself in this unique and powerful art form.  I believe that you will become enchanted by what you find.

9.) Connie Hozvicka (aka DirtyFootprints)

Follow Connie on Twitter @DirtyFootprints and on Facebook

Connie is an amazing artist in both words and paint.  In fact it was her writing that first attracted my attention.  As a natural born teacher, Connie has the incredible ability to translate the visual into words and then back again.  If you’re interested in finding out more about Connie, I would suggest starting with a few of her recent writings from her blog in order to see where she’s coming from as an artist.  Deeply personal writings such as “I Need You To Hear Me” as well as the magnificent “Cut the Crap” will give you a good idea about what DirtyFootprints is all about.

Despite all this talk about her writing, Connie is a fantastic visual artist as well.  You can see some of her remarkable paintings in her online gallery.  Connie is not just about creating art, however, because she is also also an accomplished art teacher who is dedicated to helping other artists achieve their creative potential with her  “Big Fearless Painting Adventure” Workshops.

10.) Artist Jane Bush

Follow Jane on Twitter @artistjanebush and on Facebook

Jane is both a concert photographer as well as a visual artist.  I have to admit that I have always been a bit jealous of those lucky photographers who got to stand inches from the stage and earn their living taking pictures while enjoying the music from some of their favorite bands.  Meanwhile, I’m stuffed into a tiny booth at the back of Starbucks with my laptop listening to three ladies argue about a word in their seemingly endless Bananagram game. None of this is Jane’s fault directly, of course, other than the fact that she has a much cooler job than mine.

One of the things that I like the most about Jane’s Touched by Fire blog is that she doesn’t just use her site as a showcase for her work.  In fact, she has created some fantastic resources and how-to tutorials in her Concert Photography 101 series that encourages even amateur photographers like myself to bookmark her site and revisit it often.

You can see some examples of Jane’s amazing concert photography as well as some of her other photographs on her website.  While you’re there, be sure to check out Jane’s incredible artwork portfolio as well.

11.) Alissa Fereday

Follow Alissa on Twitter @alissafereday

Alissa is another one of those artists on Twitter who certainly doesn’t need me pointing out the fact that she is an artist to watch.  Although a lot of people may already know about Alissa as her almost 23,000 followers will confirm, I believe that she’s someone who really understands the value of using social media like Twitter to connect with her fans as well as other artists.

Alissa is an incredible painter whose abstract designs evoke a wide range of emotions with their vivid colors and textures. She mentions this in her artist statement:

“For me, every painting is an exorcism of emotion. I put it all into the paint. Fear, anger, hope, desire—the rawest human frailties. With each brushstroke, each layer of color, each scrape of the knife comes release and, in some ways, redemption.”

Some artists use words, some use music, while others like Alissa paint their emotions using color and light. This is an artist to watch!

12.) Chanelle Richardson (aka iamchanelle)

Follow Chanelle on Twitter @iamchanelle

Chanelle is a photographer, musician, writer, and self-professed “foodie” all wrapped up in one creative package.  After having read through her blog and visiting her Flickr photostream, I would probably add poet to that list as well.  With over 15,000 tweets under her belt, Chanelle is no stranger to connecting and supporting her fellow artists.

Chanelle’s photographic subjects are as diverse as her interests ranging from self-portraits to guitar strings and reading through her website you realize that her eyes are always open searching for the next subject to capture her attention.  She summed up this intrinsic sense of optimism and wonder recently in one of her posts:

“no matter where you are in life, no matter what situation you find yourself in, no matter how dark and clouded your mind’s eye may be.  step outside. look up.  wonder.  wander.  reflect.  be thankful.”

Not only is Chanelle an amazing artist, but she is clearly a perceptive student of life as well!

13.) Miranda Aschenbrenner (aka LearntoArt)

Follow Miranda on Twitter @learntoArt

Miranda is not only an accomplished portrait and abstract visual artist, but she somehow also finds the time to write an incredible blog called LearntoArt.com where she offers a ton of free resources, tutorials, and tips on everything from “How-to Write a Wicked Artist Statement” to “How-to Make a Simple Frame for Canvas Board”.

I have talked before about the advantages of having these kind of free resources available on your blog or gallery site as a way to bring in more traffic.  Miranda understands that the more valuable content and resources she provides, the more visitors and potential customers she’s going to have to send to her Custom Portrait Online website.  This unique combination of artistic talent and online marketing savvy definitely makes Miranda an artist to watch in the future.

14.) Jemfyr

Follow Jemfyr on Twitter @jemfyr

Jemfyr is a poet who’s words evoke a visual image that only true poetry can create.  I would invite you to grab a cup of tea or coffee and read slowly through a few of her works on her poetry blog and soak in the rich imagery.  Stroll though such visually arresting poems such as “Velocity” , “Leave your mark”, “Embrace”, and the enigmatic “Pale Pose” which begins:

If I could touch your mind,
the hands of clock would never change…
I’d sew seamless lines of patterned color,
and silk ribbon between threaded lanes…
If I could lift the weight ten thousand times,
your shoulders would be free…
Lean now into the wind,
there is no need to refuse the breeze…

Also be sure to check out Mosaique Journey which is an online collaboration between Jemfyr’s remarkable poetry and the iconic photographs of @traceimages.

15.) Dawn Giunta (aka DMG_Art)

Follow Dawn on Twitter @DMG_art

Even though I haven’t known Dawn for very long, her artistic talent and vision speak for themselves.  After spending some time on her website and snooping around her amazing gallery pages, I have no doubt that Dawn will be an artist to watch for in the future. One of the things that impressed me the most was her willingness to explore different mediums in her work.  Dawn admits that she follows her artistic “cravings” wherever they lead, and so far that has taken her from charcoal to paintings to three-dimensional art to photography. She allows herself this freedom because she still believes that she is maturing as an artist.

It wasn’t just her considerable level of artistic talent that convinced me to include Dawn on this list, however, as much as it was her willingness to share her hopes, doubts, dreams, and missteps along the way with the rest of us.  I just don’t understand why more artists don’t allow their fans and potential customers to get to know them a little bit as a person.

As I’ve said multiple times before on this site, people buy art from people they like, which means that before they are going to care about your work, you’re going to have to give them a reason to care about you as a person.  And even though I wouldn’t know Dawn if she passed me on the street, I feel like I know something important and real about her from reading her “Bio” and her page describing her uncertain journey towards becoming an art teacher. In other words, this wasn’t some sterile “Artist Statement” that you see all over the internet, but more of a personality statement. Dawn understands this, which is why this remarkable artist has a very bright future ahead of her.

16.) Holly Friesen

Follow Holly on Twitter @Holly59

Holly is both an amazing visual artist as well as a poet.  Her website is a fascinating collection of artwork and poetry. Take a few minutes to read through poems such as “Poet”, “March Clarity”, “Falling”,  and the  lusciously rich poem entitled “Broken Open” that begins. . .

i break things as effortlessly as breathing
i open my mouth and out float the lies
like little paper butterflies, delicately patterned
with spirals of truth turned inside out.

As hard as it is to believe, Holly’s paintings are an equally impressive collection of  stunning landscapes and richly provocative figures.  I could go on some more about this incredible artist, however, once you visit her site and read through her insightful “The Roaring Inside” blog, I think that you will agree that she is an artist to watch.

17.) Paulette Insall

Follow Paulette on Twitter @pauletteinsall and on Facebook

One of the things I like most about Paulette, besides her amazing art, is the fact that she describes herself as repeatedly on her website as both an Artist and a Mom.

Paulette’s work is even more amazing in the fact that she’s only been painting since 2006.  Her remarkable blog describes her journey along this path as well as her efforts at maintaining that delicate balance between family responsibilities and pursuing her artistic passion. While you’re there, be sure to check out her gallery and see why this is an artist that we will definitely be watching in the years ahead.

18.) Jamie Berry

Follow Jamie on Twitter @JamieBerry and on Facebook

Jamie is a true renaissance man as an artist, writer, and an all-around good guy.  I was first introduced to Jamie’s work after reading his remarkable and longly titled article “Art School Destroyed My Creativity, The Devil Made Me Do It, and Other Plausible Excuses” and from there I discovered his equally impressive missive “Artist vs. Creator: Part I”.  In fact my only complaint with Jamie’s writing is that there’s simply not enough of it.

While you’re there discovering why Jamie apparently sweats pollen, I would encourage you to check out Jamie’s Sketchbook Archive as well as his always interesting Posterous page and Flickr photostream.  See, I told you he’s been busy.

19.) Stacy Ericson (aka Ithili)

Follow Stacy on Twitter @Ithili

Although there is no doubt that Stacy is an amazing photographer, I think that she underestimates herself as a writer/poet as well.  Stacy specializes in “blurred” photography which she talks a little bit about how this came to be in her “About Me” section of her website The Old Bouquet.

No stranger to Twitter, Stacy has over 35,000 tweets under her belt which once again makes me realize that I am just a babe in the woods when it comes to social media.  Not to drive this point into the ground, but once again 90% of her tweets are not about her, but are either RTs or personal reply messages where she is directly connecting with one of her friends.  This is the way build real connections and friendships on any type of social media, which is something that I am still learning to do myself.

One of Stacy’s latest projects is “Iphotophiliac” which is a site dedicated to exploring the capabilities of  iPhotography. I not only applaud Stacy’s exploration of this new photographic medium, but also her attempt to deduct her iPhone as a business expense

20.) Wendy Wright

Follow Wendy on Twitter @wendywright

I remember a lot of the amazing album artwork (that’s LP not CD) when I was growing up in the 1970′s and early 80′s.  I not only collected a lot of these amazing album covers but I remember hanging several of them on my bedroom wall as works of art.  Those of you who are too young to remember the psychedelic album covers and posters from the 1960′s-70′s need to look no farther than the incredible and distinctive art of Wendy Wright.

Wendy is an illustrator who lives, not surprisingly, in San Francisco which is the very birthplace of this counter-culture revolution.  Her groovy posters and album covers evoke a incredibly distinctive style.  Wendy’s art, however, is not all paisley and psychedelia, however, and her paintings and her traditional portraits hint at the incredible depth of her artistic talent.

Like most of the artists on this list, Wendy regularly shares her thoughts and ideas on her blog and allows us the privilege of peeking inside the mind of this amazing artist.

21.) You!

If you think that you might be interested in becoming one of our featured artists and sharing your story with us, we would love to hear from you! We are hoping to eventually have artists from every creative field featured on these pages. So whether you are a visual artist, photographer, writer, musician, composer, or any other kind of creative artist in between, we would really enjoy having you share your story and experiences with us.

Some of you may already know our latest Featured Artist: Alicia “Kat” Dillman from Twitter, Facebook, DeviantART, or from one of her illustrated children’s books.  We were delighted to have the opportunity to sit down with Kat and talk to her about her art and why she still prefers to do all of her drawings by hand.  We talked to her about what it was like to work with the publisher of her latest children’s book “Lions in My Tummy” and discussed some of her upcoming titles.  We also talked about why creating helpful resources for your website attracts more people (and search engines) to visit, as well as the importance of starting small and doing your research when opening your first online store.

You can check out her feature page and read the entire interview by clicking on the image below:

Alicia “Kat” Dillman

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Please click on Kat’s illustration to visit her on her Featured Artist page!