While I’m sure we could debate whether my part in the TikTok community for the past two years has been beneficial to my life or not, what I’d prefer to focus on is one of the many things it’s brought me—creatives. Not just theater kids putting on skits, dancers flexing their bodies, or musicians singing in their room, but people who make tactile art and often make a living off of it. When I was a little kid, one of my dreams (depicted in a stick figure drawing) was of me painting in Paris. I chose to develop my writing skills instead of dedicating myself to art, but the appreciation has stayed. I am always in awe of what this type of creativity can make, and I thought I’d share some of my favorites from TikTok today.

Amina Illustration. Although I gave up portraiture in my anime days, other artists are able to craft it into a true artform. Akhmadeeva uses lush colors to give great depth to her subjects, and I love the variety in tones and how she incorporates plant life in sometimes subtle ways. Many of the female-presenting portraits look like goddesses, and her other illustrations show how portraiture and medium can bring different aspects of the face and personality to life. You can find her shop here.

Blue Planet Glass. Not everything is paintings or drawings, of course, and glasswork is so cool it had to be included. Of course, I fell in love with Donni’s work through a cow with a flower crown, but her other pieces are so fun and show the versatility in what this craft can be. I know I’m not the only one who associated stained class with flowers or churches, but Donni shows you can have aliens or anime characters too. The way the sun hits them really brings on that want for a beautiful day, too. You can find her shop here.

Christina Kunanets ~ u.wanna.art. If you love ASMR then watching Kunanets’ painting has a similar effect. Her food paintings include a 3-D effect where the gliding of the palette knife is similar to a substance over toasted bread. Her artwork would already be mouthwatering and subtle in its simplicity, but the combination with the filming elevates the experience to something almost tangible. Additionally, the fine details on the plating highlight a different skillset that takes this to the next level. You can find her work here.

DayrisFelixArt. There is no better word to describe Felix’s art than cute. All of her artwork comes in pastel, buttery soft, gentle tones that invite viewers to enjoy a kind of innocence we rarely get to anymore. She has a way with colors that is like a softer version of Lisa Frank, and the combination of baby animals, foods, and outfits makes something of wonderful fantasy. I found her through her series of ghosts, which can be adorable, haunting, and poignant. She also captures bunnies and cows really well. You can find her shop here.

Kate Bryant ~ KT’s Canvases. I found Kate’s art through one of her fall drops and immediately fell in love with the cute ghosts, hypnotic flowers, and color palettes. The flowers are a bit of her hallmark, and she does them so well even when paired with bookshelves or fruit. Her art brings a gentle kind of joy to my day, and I love watching the process and seeing how something like a paint marker can bring a pop to any canvas. You can find her shop here.

Katie Chatham. This is a newer find for me, but I was captivated by how Chatham captures the human form amidst violent transformation. Often in horror films, we seen villains and heroines alike covered in blood and Chatham’s mythology series has that same energy to me. There’s a sense of eroticism to some of the pieces, a knowing of change, and a keen use of lighting and color. I’m excited to see what comes next for this artist and would love any of those pieces in my own home. You can find her work here.

Kira Fennell. I never thought I would be heavily invested in the federal duck stamp competition, but watching an artist create their entry from scratch does that to a person. Fennell puts so much work and fine detail into every aspect, and you can really see it come to life over time. It’s also fun to see an artist learn new techniques, like airbrushing, and share their insights on competition and promote good causes. Her other work shares similarities in focusing on landscapes and animals. Her style away from the stamp competition is a bit looser and wilder, but they’re both great aspects to a cool artist. You can find her work here.

Laura Beating Art. I clearly have a weakness for ghosts, but Laura Smith does the subject so well. She often combines their sad, melancholy forms with some beautiful landscapes or domestic scenes, and the end result is delightfully Gothic. The way she works with contrast and light is pretty cool, and I like the way she paints forests and trees. While Gary the Ghost seems to be her most dedicated series, her other work is still great. You can find her work here.

Molly Quinn Art. I love when artists blend fantasy with touches of domesticity, and Molly Quinn does it so well. Her witches, especially, feel lovingly blended with the cottagecore, sweater weather vibes of Practical Magic. I also love that her subjects have a variety of body types as well as skin tones because magic doesn’t just belong to one kind of person. As another bonus, many of them are moderately sapphic, and the tenderness and romance are lovely. You can find her work here.

Orphans Inc. If you think using tape to paint a geometric wall is hard then you haven’t seen Orphans Inc.’s artwork yet. She often contrasts the modern with the ancient through an intentional use of space, contrast of color, and similarity of body composition. So, you may see a Renaissance woman paired with your average Millennial. The colors are stark, and watching the process is always an act of patience and perseverance where one wrong move could change the whole thing. Her paintings always manage to portray a certain kind of timelessness through this comparison of old and new, as if the more things change the more they stay the same. You can find her here.

Tahlia Stanton. One of my new goals in life is to own one of this Australian artist’s paintings. They are captivating, multi-media masterpieces and the process is transfixing. She has a definitive style which feels like it can be imitated but never truly copied. “Equinox” was the first painting of hers I encountered, and, from that moment, I knew it was love. Her TikTok account also gives helpful tips for artists and answers questions about her process. You can find her shop here.

Obviously, eleven female-identifying artists isn’t the full breadth of artistic TikTok or even my own following list. The great thing is I will continue to find new works that capture my attention or speak to me, whether they’re portraits, watercolors, pottery, cross stitch, charcoal, or more. It’s like going to an art museum whenever I want and having all the time in the world to observe what I like about it. To be fair, the digital medium is its own form and doesn’t fully capture what makes tangible art its best, but this best-of-both-worlds aspect is what I’m happy with for now. Support an artist today and bring some beauty to your life.

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