By Alex Burt & Kaitlyn Weaver | Contributors
Artists often find inspiration from other creatives they discover and admire. Senior marketing major and photography minor Alex Burt and senior art education major Kaitlyn Weaver share their favorite artists and photographers they follow on Instagram. Follow these and be inspired!
Dot & Co.
[dot.and.co]
The artists of Dot & Co. are based in Melbourne, Australia. I (Weaver) was initially drawn to this Instagram account because I spent half of last semester in Melbourne and had an incredible experience there. Later, I developed a deep appreciation of their ceramics for more reasons than just their location. These artists handcraft beautiful pottery that focuses on simplicity, texture and material, often utilizing subtle patterns in their glazes. I absolutely love the neutral color palette they use, including white, grey, brown, black, tan and sometimes a slight hint of blue-grey. I have always been attracted to simplicity and find great joy in a minimalist approach to aesthetics, which is essentially what their Instagram displays. If you want to discover plain and lovely ceramic pieces, check Dot & Co. out.
Silvia Pelissero
[agnes_cecile]
Silvia Pelissero, who also goes by Agnes Cecile, is an Italian artist who paints stunning watercolors that are a blend of portraiture and abstraction. She classifies this type of painting as surrealism. There is definitely an element of surprise in each of her paintings. She utilizes a full range of color values in her work, giving them a bold yet subtle look. Some of her paintings, while using bright pinks, blues and purples, feel eerie and dark, a conflict the viewer is forced to reconcile. She uses great detail to starkly define certain facial features, especially the eyes. She also uses the fluid qualities of watercolor to work to her advantage by strategically dripping paint and creating blurs in certain areas. On her Instagram, she features these watercolors, as well as sped-up videos where you can enter into her captivating painting process from start to finish.
Bex Partridge
[botanical_tales]
Bex Partridge is a floral artist who makes and sells wreaths and other various flower arrangements. In her photographs, she uses careful arrangements of plants and flowers to exemplify pattern, texture and color. I (Weaver) find so much beauty in the way she displays her love for plants, and I adore the ease and simplicity of her photographs. I am also drawn to the way she uses color to communicate a feeling or mood in her photos. I love the ordered feel some of her photos convey as well. I consistently find rest in her Instagram and always enjoy scrolling through her floral fun.
Laura Armstrong
[lauraarmstrongphotography]
Laura is a portrait photographer in the Chicagoland area. Interestingly enough, she was the guidance counselor I (Burt) worked with in 2013 when deciding to come to Taylor as an incoming freshman. Laura is a kind-hearted individual who seamlessly connects with others. This characteristic shows in her work. She carries not only a warmth in tone that matches her personality but also in the essence of her subjects, which she captures clearly. From her dreamy use of golden-hour sunlight and beautiful organic backgrounds, to the sweetest portraits taken in window light, Laura's work is strong in aesthetics and subject, and I gain inspiration from following her work.
Jack Morris
[doyoutravel]
A 26-year-old native of England, Jack describes his current job as "turning his life into a never-ending journey." He and his girlfriend Lauren travel all over the world-they try to visit a new country on a monthly basis-documenting their adventures in Nat Geo-quality locations with even greater creativity in composition. The locations they visit are truly stunning, but what makes these photos so incredibly excellent is the great lengths Jack and Laura take to ensure that no photo is bland or redundant. And while I love the diversity of his photos-from breakfasts featuring giraffes in Kenya to jaunts through the sandy dunes of Dubai-I (Burt) find this photojournalism-portraiture hybrid to be the most attractive thing about his work. Though, a close second is seeing the most gorgeous parts of the earth documented with such technical and artistic expertise.
