Interesting artists

144 Artists to Pique Your Students' Interest Instructional Strategies % %

Greek artist Nikos Gyftakis created this wonderful series of swirling self-portraits between 2004-2005. The works are made with oil pastels on canvas and are actually quite large, with a few of the pieces taller than 5′ (1.5m). You can see many more from this series and more of his recent work in his work gallery. More

Mark Powell uses nothing but a simple Bic Biro ballpoint pen to create incredibly detailed portraits of the elderly. His chosen canvases are antique documents dating from 1763 onwards.

Art Plugged's curator picks highlight artists who have piqued our interest for various reasons. These may include aesthetic appeal, social and cultural significance, or simply because we admire their work; our curator pick in this article is Damien Cifielli.

Criselda Vasquez is a painter. Perhaps accidentally, she is also an activist. Criselda went to The San Francisco Art Institute to study art. By trade and by profession she is an artist. In her paintings, Criselda accurately captures the faces of her family and those closest to her. In each brushstroke, each shadow, each touch of a different shade on her subjects’ faces tells a story of a hard life full of sacrifice and fight – a relatable pain most immigrants face as they leave loved ones…