One thing I have always believed is that deep down, all of us would like to be artists. Obviously we are all drawn to different things; maybe you wish you were the undisputed queen of the stage like Sarah Bernhardt; maybe you’d rather be Shakespeare, writing the masterpieces and watching them come alive night after night. Perhaps you would like to be like the old masters of the Renaissance, chiseling sculptures and painting figures that people will recognize at a glance, or perhaps you’d rather be a humble medieval architect, devoting your life to a structure that will stand for centuries, filling those who see it with awe and wonder. I won’t deny my secret longings to be a painter, or a rock star, or a famous writer. Unfortunately, I never felt that my talents much aligned with those dreams. (Ask anyone who has ever heard me sing, rock star was definitely unrealistic). Even if we don’t think those dreams are very likely to come true, we can still indulge ourselves through the art and artistic lives of others. What is the internet for, after all, if not to live vicariously through the beautiful people we admire? Here are some of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow for that very purpose. Pull out your best boho accessories, because you are about to feel worthy of them.
Dafydd Jones
A prominent society photographer for a number of magazines, most notably for Tatler in the 1980s, Dafydd Jones has an impressive backlog of photographs from extravagant events in Britain and the US, as well as the constantly growing body of his new work. He has published books of his photography and sells curated boxes of prints on his website, but you can get a sampling of his work for free from his Instagram account, which is packed with vintage photographs of celebrities, society mavens, and college students romping in glittering worlds of ’80s decadence and ’90s nostalgia.
I love the liveliness and energy of Dafydd Jones’s photography. My favorites will forever remain the pictures from balls at Oxford and Cambridge and London society balls. They look incredibly glamorous yet also astonishingly wild and fun through his lens – just the sort of thing you wish someone would make a movie about. Until that happens, I guess I’ll just have to keep watching Instagram and order a copy of Oxford: The Last Hurrah to tide me over.
Rachelle Cunningham
Rachelle Cunningham is that cross between painter and muse with a healthy dash of fairy princess that we all dream of being. One of her favorite subjects is her home city of Paris, which she portrays her dreamy, romantic watercolors as a glittering fantasy land caught somewhere between la Belle Epoque and the modern day. Her inspiring paintings are available to purchase as originals, prints, and commissions. At the same time as her paintings have been making me dream of moving to Paris, her unique, romantic style and flowing red hair have had me popping biotin supplements and carefully selecting my loungewear all through lockdown.
Rachelle also periodically offers online painting courses. I took her introduction to painting course, which is absolutely perfect for you if you have always assumed you have no talent whatsoever or if you are such a complete beginner that you don’t know where to start. I went into this course with no idea how to hold a pencil to sketch or get watercolor paint out of the box and onto the paper. Rachelle brings you from feeling clueless to brave and competent enough to play and experiment with art in a few short lessons. Keep an eye open for the next time she offers them.
Guido Taroni
Imagine an Italian artist: he’s probably charming, cool, and stylishly dressed, seems to always be in gorgeous villas, magnificent cities, or tranquil coastal towns, and travels all over Italy in a fabulous sports car, right? I have good news for you: he does exist!
Guido Taroni is a fashion and interiors photographer (hence all of the stunning locations!), and he also runs one of the most eclectic IG accounts I know of. Obviously he posts beautiful examples of his photography on the grid, but it is in his daily Stories that he really has fun with the artistic potential of the internet. His Story posts include visits to other artists in their studios, cooking demonstrations, and visits in locations around Italy, ranging from palace ballrooms to village doorsteps. These meticulously edited little videos are a welcome distraction any time, but especially when you’re stuck at home during a pandemic.
Alexandra Dvornikova
Alexandra Dvornikova is an independent artist and art therapist from Russia, who takes inspiration from folk and fairy tales to make stylized, haunting art that seems designed to lure you into the dark forest where it is set. Some of her pictures are delightfully creepy, some of them are a bit humorous, and others are pleasant botanical designs that she has printed onto products and sells in her Etsy shop.
One of the best things about Dvornikova’s work is that it is so accessible. It can be easy to leave art as a piece hanging in a museum that you visit once in your lifetime, but when it’s printed on the mug you drink your coffee from every morning, or on the journal you write in, or on postcards you send to friends and family, it becomes a part of your everyday life. This way, you can enjoy these fantastic forest scenes even when you aren’t admiring the full, thought-provoking images online.
Marin Montagut
French artist Marin Montagut describes himself as “a bargain hunter, an illustrator, a collector, and author, and an explorer.” This collection of interests combined to develop his distinctive style, culminating first in a series of quirky travel books and later into a Parisian decorative arts shop full of his own designs. He paints bright and charming watercolors which seem to channel his early life in the South of France, but his whole Instagram account (and, one might assume, his whole life) is a work of art. As well as highlighting his watercolors and sometimes showing a glimpse behind the scenes of his painting process, we are given a look inside his studio and his beautiful home in Normandy.
Montagut takes inspiration from his travels, the world around him, and the items he collects from antiques fairs. It’s easy to see how his early life in the South of France, his travels, and his affinity for vintage hunting has culminated in the charming style evident in his watercolors as well as his personal and home style. Follow him for his paintings and homeware products as well as his dreamy images of Paris and Normandy.
I hope you enjoy seeing these artists’ work, and that you found someone new to follow who will brighten up your days this winter and beyond! Let me know in the comments if you have any favorites that I’ve missed!
All images are the work of the artists named, and is linked from their Instagram accounts, where you can view their work for free and find more information about purchasing art or products.
