Top 5 Alberta Artists Who Inspired Me in 2020
Sometimes people ask me where I find inspiration for my artwork. Although inspiration comes in many forms and from many sources I am often inspired by the work of other artists. All good art is original and no two artist’s work is the same even if the subject and the medium are the same. My grandma and her twin are one example, they were both excellent watercolour painters but you can see the difference in style and the originality between them and their artwork. Whether you are looking for inspiration or just entertainment it’s great to check out a local gallery, see some exhibits at a museum or browse artists on Instagram. My top 5 list of artists below is in no particular order because the are all excellent at what they do and are equally inspirational to me.
Alana Forsberg - Alana’s artwork has a smooth and detailed style that is appealing in every medium she works with. Her digital art is very skilled from many years of working with Photoshop and she has her work on deviantart.com, Tumblr and Instagram. Alana is also my sister but is an inspiration to me with her genuine skills and beautiful watercolour paintings, digital art, pencil drawings including coloured pencils and because of the ease with which she picks up any new medium she tries. You can see an example of Alana’s art below and check out her work on Instagram @lanerxart and at www.lanerx.deviantart.com
Lurkin’ Albertan Art is a Sylvan Lake artist that I follow on Instagram who does amazing stencil art work. They are very skilled and I am inspired by the bird stencils especially. I am impressed by the design and the amount of time that goes into their artwork and believe that they are a great asset to the Central Alberta art community. You can view the stencil art on Instagram @lurkinalbertan.art
Erin Boake - Erin is a local artist whose work I have noticed often in and around Red Deer, AB. She runs Artribute Art School and is an accomplished artist. Her artwork is an inspiration to me because of the beautiful portrait art she does. Her work has a positive feel and the portraits she creates are realistic yet ethereal and full of life. Because I do portraits myself I am impressed at the vision and skill. The portraits I do are as different as night and day to Erin’s art but I am definitely a fan of her work. You can view Erin’s art on Instagram @erin.boake or at www.erinboake.com
Trueman MacDonald - Trueman is an Edmonton area artist that I have much admiration for although I do not appreciate the subject of his paintings. That being said, Trueman is a great artist and his skills are so excellent his paintings are as clear as photographs and extremely detailed. His work is an inspiration to me because of his experience and skill, and despite disagreeing on subjects I find his paintings unusual and unique. You can view Trueman’s art on his website at www.trueman-macdonald.com
Tracy Gutang - Tracy is one of the Brutes, like me, and does a fantastic cartoon for the zine every month. I have also seen some of her paintings which are vibrant and emotional. Tracy is an inspiration to me because she works hard at what she sets her mind to and is a fellow artist and friend. Tracy is a spiritual person who is a Reiki Master and Teacher. You can find her on her Facebook page Gypsy Spirit Woman.
That wraps up my list of Inspirational Alberta Artists. I hope you will check them out. If you would like to view some of my personal artwork you can check out @Art_is_off_the_wall on
Instagram. Here is some work by Alana Forsberg my Grandma and myself!
Artwork by Alana Forsberg
Artwork by Lillian Zimmerman
Artwork by Alison Forsberg