The visual arts have become more diverse and innovative than ever before! Only within the last few decades have revered pieces of art on a grand scale represent people of color, plus-sized bodies, gender, and sexual diversity, etc. Artwork that was once only done on paper or canvas is now possible on computers and tablets.
Transitions such as these are inevitable because there’s always something new or “avant-garde” for artists and audiences to adapt to. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s important to take note of the women who have contributed their creativity and skill to art and have made it so that women can receive the respect for their craft that they deserve. For the aspiring artist, here are 5 talented women who have made great strides in graphic design and digital illustration.
Petra Erikkson (Instagram)
Website: petraerikkson.com
Petra Erikkson is a digital illustrator based in Barcelona, Spain and is a representative of the Handsome Frank illustration agency based in the UK. Her colorful compositions portray people doing everyday things (like eating lunch), celebrities, animals, and household objects. She often incorporates complementary patterns and confetti-like designs to portraits and adds a great deal of dimension with minimal highlights and shadows.
Abbey Lossing (Instagram)
Website: abbeyloosing.com
After earning a degree in illustration, Abbey Lossing moved from Ohio to Brooklyn, NY, where she currently lives as a freelance digital artist. She is another representative of the Handsome Frank illustration agency and has collaborated with companies such as “Facebook, Google, Target, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.” (handsomefrank.com)
Hattie Stewart (Instagram)
Website: hattiestewart.com
Hattie Stewart is known for her partially satirical and playful animation style. Her take on the old Cuphead cartoon style is modernized with strong highlights, giving the illusion of shiny surfaces. Her art has drawn clients such as Apple Music, Old Navy, Samsung, and Wacom, just to name a few. Her interactive website features a sliding puzzle, stickers, and a page to draw and paint!
Martina Paukova (Instagram)
Website: martinapaukova.com
Martina Pukova is a part of the agency, Agent Pekka, and lives in Berlin, Germany. Her colorful artwork depicts women working in offices, living rooms, kitchens, and public spaces and the extremity of flatness in her compositions makes the people and objects sit awkwardly in spaces.
Alexis Eke (Instagram)
Website: alexiseke.com
Toronto based illustrator and designer, Alexis Eke, creates digital portraits with surreal backgrounds. A white line connecting the eyes and mouth is the distinctive feature in her artwork. Although there are other subjects, her artwork primarily focuses on the representation of black women and how they are viewed in the art world.
Women’s History Month is a time to acknowledge the innovators, entrepreneurs, and game-changers of the past, and also those who are making it happen today! It makes a difference when women are celebrated in a field where they are easily overlooked. The visual arts are in a constant state of transition, so it’s important to take something from these changes and make ways for all future artists. Happy Women’s History Month!