17 Modern Creatives We Admire

We recently put together a list of modern creatives we admire and shared it on social media. What happened? 

The list took off! Why? 

Because introductions are powerful. 

Meeting someone passionately learning and making beauty is inspiring. 

As you bring creatives into your circle who are encouraging, genuine, and pursuing their design journey, you will find yourself fuelled to grow, too! 

Perhaps you’ve seen the hashtag on Instagram, #communityovercompetition (throwback to our days of founding the Rising Tide Society!) It suggests that talented artists encouraging one another is far more valuable than artists pursuing their craft in competitive isolation. 

So here it is! Our list of 17 Modern Creatives We Admire part 2. 

These are just a handful of the many individuals who inspire us to design, and we hope they inspire you too. 

Psst…Should we make a part 3? 

17 Modern Creatives We Admire (pt. 2)

Libby Bell

Libby Bell is a talented artist and illustrator in South Africa. She paints the most elegant pieces and often captures floral scenes. We love looking through her detailed prints for inspiration. 

Morgan Harper Nichols

If you’ve seen an inspirational quote with a beautiful vibrant background, chances are it was designed by Morgan Harper Nichols. An artist and writer, she has inspired so many with her encouraging creations. 

Elaine Lee

Elaine Lee is the gouache and watercolor pencil artist of Dear Elaine Co. Her illustrations are magic–soft, playful, and inviting.

Sarah Fennel

Sarah Fennel is the talented baker behind Broma Bakery. Her bakes are delicious and aesthetic, the two things I look for in a recipe result. And if you didn’t hear the news, she just released a new cookbook, Sweet Tooth. It might be the perfect birthday gift for that one friend who loves to bake! 

Jennifer Kidd

Jennifer Kidd is the founder of Chasing Stone, a company that creates gorgeous hand-painted backdrops and styling surfaces for creatives. If we were still in our photographer era, Davey and I would absolutely invest in one of these. Jennifer and her team take handcrafted artistry to the next level.

Franny Pullin

Franny Pullin is a digital and film wedding photographer who specializes in capturing the sweet, unposed moments of events. Her work is beautiful, and her eye for movement is unparalleled.  

Louise Roe

Louise Roe is a content creator who brings warmth to fashion, beauty, home design, and daily rhythms. We especially admire her knowledge of interior design, displayed in her handcrafted furniture store, Sharland England.  If you are looking to cultivate welcoming spaces with an English flare, Louise Roe is your girl. 

Maggie Brown & Grace Moore

Maggie Brown and Grace Moore founded the popular FUN pickleball paddle company, Recess Pickleball. With summer in full swing, we couldn’t resist sharing this brand. Not only are the paddle designs inspiring, but the brand and messaging of this business is *chef’s kiss*.   

Davey is a BIG fan of pickleball and he’s been trying to get me to play for ages. Maybe a cute paddle from Recess would finally get me out on the court. Well, once I understand what the “kitchen” is. Or is it “a kitchen?”

Stephanie Gaffney

Stephanie Gaffney, the artist behind Torregrossa Fine Art, is an artist in New Orleans, Louisiana, who specializes in live wedding painting and portraiture. You may recall our podcast episode with her: Saying Yes and Doing Things Scared.

Evelyn Henson

Evelyn Henson is an artist and textile designer in North Carolina. From wallpapers and prints to stationary and fabrics, Evelyn’s creations are sweet, sophisticated, and the perfect hint of Southern charm. 

Hannah Schneider  

Hannah Schneider is a surface pattern designer and the founder of Little Oak Design Co. If you love embroidery and homemaking DIY Hannah’s patterns are delightful. She’s built such a wonderful community around her beautiful designs. 

KT Merry

KT Merry is a luxury wedding and editorial photographer and educator. Her work is what photography dreams are made of – elegant, sophisticated, filled with movement and expression. It was such a delight to host her on our podcast to discuss Balancing Business and Creativity.

Alexa Curto

Alexa Curto is a dessert photographer who creates the most delightful bakes. Colorful, endearing, and simply lovely…every sweet treat is a work of art! Take a peek at her page, you won’t be disappointed.  

Franky & Meredith 

Franky and Meredith are dear friends and founders of the beloved Lexington coffee shop and gelateria, Pronto Gelato. You may recall seeing our brand design for them. What we love most about Pronto Gelato is how their Italian story is threaded through the details of their business and brand. Their summer Italian adventures to visit family will also give you a serious ache for traveling abroad. 

Related: When Is It Time to Rebrand Your Business?

Erica & Jon 

Erica and Jon are brand photographers and educators based in Arizona and Florida. We admire their work so much that we hired them to shoot our brand photography for Davey + Krista.  

DeVOL Kitchens

DeVOL Kitchens is an interior design studio and furniture manufacturer in England. Helen Parker and Paul O’Leary create inviting spaces with rustic, homey warmth. They prioritize simplicity and craftsmanship – two qualities we admire. We love their eye for how a space should be used.

L’Appartement 4F

L’Appartement 4F is a French bakery by day and a wine bar by night. It is located in Brooklyn Heights and is run by the sweetest husband-and-wife duo, Gautier and Ashley. Every aspect of this business cultivates community, warmth, and moments worth cherishing. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because we featured L’Appartement 4F in our blog post: How to Use Scarcity to Increase Conversions.

Conclusion

Surrounding yourself with creatives who inspire, encourage, and are genuine can have the richest impact on your designs and business.  

It’s your turn. Who are the individuals who inspire you? We want to meet them. Type their names in the comments below. 

…who knows, there may be a pt. 3!