Six emerging artists to watch in 2017

Creative Debuts and Instagram have joined forces to present #EmergingArtistStories. The event, that will take place on Thursday 1 June, will bring together over sixteen of the best up and coming artists in the UK as part of First Thursdays.

Here at Creative Boom, we have always championed emerging talent, and so have picked six of the best young artists to watch in 2017 covering disciplines including photography, illustration, fine art, and craft.

You can see works from these artists and more as part of #EmergingArtistStories from 7pm on Thursday 1 June at the Black & White Building, 74 Rivington St, Hackney, London EC2A 3AY. Click here for more details.

1. David Wallace

Within two years, London-born photographer David Wallace has built an inimitable style that is recognised worldwide. He creates moody and surreal urban shots that often defy the laws of physics by featuring levitating objects. David does not use Photoshop to manipulate the images and his mysterious techniques have inspired continuous debate. David uses a Canon camera and his brand of photography magic has been commissioned by the likes of Adidas, Nike, Canon, Yeezy and Dr Martens.

2. Isabella Timothy

Isabella Timothy is a London-based artist specialising in charcoal portraiture. After she was left bed-bound by an operation on her knee, Isabella taught herself how to draw charcoal portraits in 2012. Inspired by people, emotions and intrigued by vanity, she has amassed quite literally a huge collection of work. After just two months of starting her practice, she held her debut solo exhibition in London, followed by her second exhibition in Mexico City in 2013. This rising star has also won the Harry Walker Young Artist Prize from the Bath Society of Arts in 2014.

3. Stefano Meloni

Italian-born and London-based digital illustrator Stefano Meloni, also known as STML, takes inspiration from the world around him and his passion for obscure, computer-simulated TV commercials. Stefano develops his ideas drawing in a sketchbook and creates his digital illustrations using Photoshop. His work often features nuggets of humour and metaphor that are distinctive to his identity.

4. Anne Von Freyburg

Mixed media artist and Goldsmiths alumnus Anne Von Freyburg, who is originally from The Netherlands, brings together both her background in fine art and fashion to create works combining raw canvases, embroidery, textiles and crystals. Anne takes subjective experiences as a starting point for her work and often applies cliché and symbolic imagery of female figures. The featured characters give a sense of romance and are inspired by religious and mythological sculptures and paintings from the eighteenth and nineteenth century.

5. Andrew Salgado

Andrew Salgado is a Canadian artist who works in London and has exhibited around the world. His paintings are large-scale works of portraiture that incorporate elements of abstraction and symbolic meaning. Andrew’s figurative works explore concepts relating to the destruction and reconstruction of identity.

Recent artworks include collage, mixed-media, and even hand-dyed and hand-stitched linen and canvas. In 2017, Andrew was the youngest artist to receive a survey-exhibition at The Canadian High Commission in Trafalgar Square in London, and he has endorsements from critics like Tony Godfrey, Edward Lucie-Smith, David Liss, and others.

6. Becky Baier

London-based illustrator, designer, photographer, and artist Becky Baier is inspired by Surrealism and serendipity. A graduate of the University of Brighton, Becky’s work often features collages with most of her creative ideas being developed when she is just walking around the city and taking in the sights. She has collaborated with the likes of Ninja Tune, Red Bull UK, H&M, Dr Martens, Selfridges & Co, and SkinnyDip London.