Instagram is ripe with fantastic creatives sharing their process and work for audiences large and small. There’s a lot of noise out there, though—some of the best artwork can fall through the cracks. As a lover (and curator) of art and photography, I get a lot of joy out of finding inspiration from makers and artists I discover on Instagram. These five women are some of my favorites.
1. @Little_Canoe, aka Brooke Weeber
Brooke Weeber’s quirky watercolor paintings leave you itching to go outside. She balances her artistic efforts between illustration and photography. Both mediums suit her penchant for the outdoors and discovering new places.
Brooke, on her art: “They can be lighthearted and bright, dark, mysterious, and sometimes quite comical. My intention is to make you feel directly connected in whatever way feels right to you.”
2. @HeatherDayArt
Heather Day believes in sharing the creative process. Her Instagram shows all stages of her paintings—from sketch to tools, from canvas to photographs. We gain an insider’s perspective on the work of a talented young artist living in Oakland, California.
Heather’s perspective: “I like to talk about my work as if each painting is a page in a book. One painting leads to the next, like a narrative story. My paintings are reactions to moments I’ve collected traveling and interacting with people.”
3. @PostForTheParks
Every week, Sarah Coyne sends a watercolor of a national park to a national park. She shares the final product on her Instagram. In doing so, we get to visit some of America’s most beautiful places.
Sarah’s thoughts on the project: “I was afraid that I would have a difficult time connecting to the parks without seeing them in person but just the opposite – I feel like I have gotten to know them all.”
4. @Alison_Scarpulla
Alison Scarpulla is a photographer who creates ethereal double exposures on 35mm film. Often using female models, she has an uncanny ability to treat film like paint. The result is textured photographs that evoke the female experience and feel like abstract memories.
Alison on the intention behind her work: “I want to share the world I see. Anything is possible if you allow it to be.”
5. @VacilandoQuilting
Laura Preston sews and sells handmade quilts with clean, colorful designs. Like Heather, Laura’s feed lets us in on the process and inspiration behind her pieces. She just wrapped up a few years of traveling North America in an Airstream trailer, and her quilts reflect her movement and dedication.
Laura’s take: “My designs are symmetrical, graphic, and mostly inspired by traditional textile patterns. The colors are influenced by the American landscape, places I’ve traveled to and memorable experiences linked to location.”
All images courtesy of the artists. Top photo courtesy of Heather Day.
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Gale Straub loves landscape and believes you don’t need to travel the country to see something new every single day. While traveling in a camper van, she started She-Explores, a site for inquisitive women in the outdoors, on the road, and besides.