7 Emerging UK Artists to Follow on Instagram

Because it’s not all about the memes…

Is your Instagram feed a weird and wonderful mash of cleaning hacks, enviable outfits, and cats nodding in time to music? If the answer is yes and you’re still reading this, then there’s a chance there might be some home accounts on your follow list too. But what about the one thing that really is good for the soul: art?

We have Instagram to thank for democratising it and introducing us to a slew of exciting, up-and-coming artists. Who’d have thought you’d ever be able to commission something by dropping into painter’s DMs?

Well, the beauty is you can, and we suggest starting with these talented emerging UK artists to make your scroll time a little more enlivening.

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A post shared by Liv & Dom (@livanddom)

1. Liv & Dom

From ‘foodie plates’ to ‘nudie shrines’, twin sisters Liv & Dom’s playful ceramics have amassed a cult fanbase on social media, where followers keep up-to-date with their latest drops. All handmade by the artist pair at their studio in East Sussex, Liv and Dom are taken by the nude form and depict it in a fun yet delicate way. Bottle stoppers and spoon rests and charming soap dishes are guaranteed to bring joy to the everyday.

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A post shared by Chiara Perano (@ciao__chiara)

2. Ciao Chiara

St Leonard’s-based Chiara Perano celebrates her Italian heritage and is inspired by food and nostalgia to create striking, collectable prints. Her minimal style, distinguished by her use of dark inks, bold lettering, and simple colour palettes, are instantly recognisable and work anywhere. On Instagram she shares creative pursuits from her home studio – where seeing her work come alive makes you want to pick up a paintbrush and have a dabble yourself.

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A post shared by Natascha Maksimovic (@natmaks)

3. Nat Maks

We challenged you not to be mesmerised at the art of marbling. Natascha Maksimovic generously shares the process of how she creates her unique prints from her studio in Margate on Insta, in a ritual that is therapeutic to watch. And if you find yourself getting the bug, you can treat yourself to an online tutorial via her website.

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A post shared by Rachel Bottomley | Artist (@rachel.bottomley)

4. Rachel Bottomley

Bottomley’s expressive strokes of acrylics, inks and pastels dance from the pages of her work and into your feed with unabashed optimism. Nature and florals are her starting point, as she draws from the scenes outside her cottage in the Surrey countryside. Confident and uplifting, you’re bound to want one of her prints for your walls.

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A post shared by Frances Costelloe (@frances_glory_costelloe)

5. Frances Costelloe

London-based Frances Costelloe’s works boast a stylish, stripped-back aesthetic that she attributes to the legendary painter Henri Matisse. The result is a unique sense of energy. As well as creating prints, Costelloe uses Instagram to share collaborations with brands as well as pockets of her stylish home.

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A post shared by KELLY JAY STUDIO (@kellyjaystudio)

6. Kelly Jae

The beauty of Instagram is being able to commission an artist for something bespoke, simply by sliding into their DMs. Bristol-based Kelly Jae is here for it. She cites her British, Indian and Caribbean heritage as inspiration, and is interested in the way stories and memories are recorded. The figurative characters and symbols in her work portray a sense of mystery, magic and performance, and feel utterly unique.

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A post shared by Diane Whalley (@dianewhalley.art)

7. Diane Whalley

Diane Whalley’s abstract compositions are bound to perk up your digital squares. The self-taught artist’s move to coastal Cornwall has clearly impacted her work: dazzling flashes of azure and cerulean blue will transport you to the sea. There are a host of details to discover in her work, so take time to stop and explore when scrolling.