Spring is a fantastic time to clear the cobwebs, get organized, and spruce things up at home. And since we’ve all been spending more time than ever at home (say, for a year), it’s particularly well deserved. Our curators have put together a dazzling, diverse collection of art we’re loving right now from makers all around the world, including paintings, photography, mixed-media pieces, and much more. Below, find out about some of the trends that caught our eye this season and be sure to shop the entire collection.
And to see a full directory of the artists included in our 2021 Spring Art Preview, scroll to the bottom of this article or click here.
Saturated Portraiture
Leave the muted Mona Lisas in the past. These pieces are richly colored, with powerful, eye-catching pigments. Whether they’re figurative or uber-abstract, these modern portraits are designed to make a statement — and make you think — at the same time.
Key Artists: Alexandra Swistak, Mafalda Vasconcelos, Monica Shulman, Spencer Herr, Tatiana Alida, Kristina Rose Baker, Keavy Murphree
Suburban Bliss
The art world and real estate have a few things in common: an appreciation in value over time, a need for good light, and yes, an exodus to the suburbs over the last year. As more people create lives outside the big cities, the art world is doing the same thing, with pieces that explore suburban motifs and subject matter.
Key Artists: SJ Johnson, Lara Felsing, Christy Powers, Michelle Heimann, Meghan B., Max Cahn, Tommy Lei
In Motion
This season features paintings, prints, and photos with one theme in common: action. Expect movement galore, whether it’s the natural world, people in transit, or even just the visual tension between different elements of the piece. Even if we haven’t been able to move around as much as we’d like, at least our art can.
Key Artists: JS Cela, Philippe Jestin, Brooks Burns, Pernille Snedker Hansen
Botanicals
The natural world is a source of universal themes, and botanicals certainly haven’t gone anywhere. But they don’t have to be simple or restrained — and they don’t even have to be green. Artists are expressing themselves through colorful prints, paintings, drawings, and more, using flowers and plants to depict a multitude of emotions.
Key Artists: Ann Cameron McDonald, Melinda Hackett, Emerald Blenkin, Laura Vaughan, DeSimoneWayland, Rosha Nutt
History: Reframed
Consider a new vantage point on something old. Whether it’s a historical figure like Alexander Hamilton (who knows a thing or two about being reconsidered by future artists), or important places that have been painted time and again, these motifs are being portrayed in entirely new ways.
Key Artists: Spencer Herr, Pernille Snedker Hansen, DeSimoneWayland
In High Contrast
Channel your inner Rothko or Albers and play colors creatively against each other. These paintings experiment with contrasting hues that pop when placed on the wall together and create an interesting visual statement, whether they’re abstract or figurative.
Key Artists: Beth Winterburn, Cat Huss, Daniel Holfeld, Derick Smith, Sabrina Bachelier, Brooks Burns
