If you’ve spent some time scrolling on Instagram and happen to follow one or two influencers, you might have stumbled across a brand called Stoney Clover Lane. The brand is well-known for selling its customizable accessories, and the result is this very refined, yet handmade aesthetic that reminds me of my past DIY projects.
While the early COVID days inspired DIY moments fueled mostly by boredom, during this (kind of) post-COVID era, I’ve noticed a rise in handmade aesthetics. Each artist in today’s collection uses approachable creative techniques to create a wide variety of distinctive works, from abstract curiosities to fusing cultures through illustration.
Eric Stefanski | @ericstefanski
Eric Stefanski is an artist from Chicago whose typography-centered work sits at the intersection of satire and self-deprecation. His art is big and bold, and the almost immature tone of the lettering paired with vulgar wording adds a distinctive duality to his pieces. Each image explores a variety subjects, from romance to rejection, with a consistent style that pulls you in and makes you want to see more. Stefanski’s perfect balance of naivety and wisdom has me head over heels for his creativity.
Corinne Lent | @corinnelent
Folk artist Corinne Lent’s Instagram account fuses highly organic colors and textures into her work to create a decorative, immersive experience. From mugs to platters to shrines, each piece is beautifully ornamented with illustrations and designs inspired by classic traditions from all around the world. Scrolling through her feed, you’ll instantly recognize aesthetic similarities to Greek and Mexican art, creating a wonderful fusion of customs and traditions.
Timo Kuilder | @zwartekoffie
Amsterdam-based artist Timo Kuilder is known for uncomplicated, simple aesthetics powered by a keen inquisitiveness. You can find his clean, often black and white work in The New York Times and Vogue, and the same refined aesthetic appears throughout a descriptive book about his bipolar father. Kuilder has an innate ability to showcase great depth within uncomplicated line drawings, and that’s not an easy feat.
AYAKA FUKANO | @ayahundred
It’s all about color and personality when it comes to Ayaka Fukano’s Instagram feed. Compassion and tenderness shine through work that often highlights moments of togetherness and warmth, either through a group hug or two seagulls carrying a woman through the sky. She was also inspired by her grandfather’s dementia diagnosis to create a series of vignettes that project a sense of love and empathy. If you’re looking to feel uplifted, this is certainly an account you’ll want to follow.
Pixie Pravda | @pixiepravda
Pixie Pravda leads an interesting life. After living in Holland, Curaçao, Thailand, and Spain, he’s been immersed in more new cultures and lifestyles than the average artist. The text-based conceptual artist is currently settled outside Brussels, Belgium, and he uses his charming Instagram account to create visual poetry. Each witty post has the power to make the viewer question the intention of Pravda’s art, and all art in general. For example, one piece reads, “This work has the power to make you think, if you think about it,” challenging the viewer to interrogate their response to not just the piece in question, but whatever they look at next.
Header image by Tabitha Turner