Last year, grief was in the air, thick and dark. We all took to different routes to finding relief. One of my favourite ways to seek out this relief was visual art. So, here’s my list of ten visual creatives with impressive work from 2020, and are poised to do even better this year.

Lasekan Dayo, illustrator. 

He entered for the RemaAlien challenge. I saw the art and I was certain he’d win. He only recently started putting out his work, and he’s an undiscovered gem. You should definitely check out his work on Twitter.

Iman Hassan, Illustrator.

Her art is simply beautiful. She captures texture accurately, and her eye for detail makes it all come together like magic. She has tried her hands on a few practice shoots— one of them is my Twitter header. Her handle is @imanie.

Isabelle Irabor, Illustrator.

One of my favourite things is finding BTS clips, maybe this is why I personally enjoy Isabelle’s process videos. Her attention to detail and deft touch is definitely one to watch in 2021. Plus point, she recently worked on a children’s book!

Derin Adeagbo, DIY queen.

The very embodiment of arts and crafts. She makes greeting cards, designs phone cases, makes souvenir cards, and a lot more. She’s also a UI/UX designer.

Okiji Akindayomi, Photographer. 

I love it when photos are warm and vibrant and he brings that and more to the table. His pictures have a certain allure to them. You should totally check his media on Instagram or Twitter.

Miles Kolawole, Photographer.

He has made it a point to retouch his photos without losing human flaws, and it’s a very wholesome decision and somehow, his models always give him what he wants, whether man or animal.

Abdulgaffar Akiyode, Photographer.

He shoots events, beauty and other random pieces. He has learnt to use his camera to tell important stories, such as protest experiences and dealing with rape, which is nothing short of impressive.

Manny Ekpere, Photographer. 

I’m of the opinion that there’s no such thing as a bad picture with him. His images stick out, and have his trademark about about them.

AdeWale Testimony Timothy, Photographer.

He covers product shoots, editorials, concept shoots, events and art captures. He’s bold with his shoots, and that gives him room to explore more areas and excel in them.

Ibukunoluwa Oyerinde, Photographer.

He takes amazing pictures of animals! You’d be fascinated by how bugs pose for him, and he makes the magic happen with phones. His work makes animals look interesting, in fact.

There are more stellar creatives, of course. If you know any, please drop their handles in the comment section. I’m a fan of great art and I’m always looking for new artists to root for. Let’s appreciate art together!