Over the past few years, media and fashion spaces have become far more inclusive. And recently, ‘body positivity’ has become a major buzz phrase. Advancements in creative spaces have been attributed to the dawn of the body positive influencer and artist. Celebrating the bodies of real women, body positive artists have undoubtedly been part of this social mind shift. Here we’ve compiled some suggestions of the artists you need to know about. These women will add thought-provoking beauty and variety to any social media scroll.
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Body positive artists – why they’re important
First things first, let’s clarify the role of the artist. Writing for Bustle, designer Alysse Dalessandro notes that, “Traditionally, art has always mirrored a societal standard of beauty, which is why plus-size women see themselves reflected more in the paintings of the past than they might today.”
But the tides have turned and women of all shapes and sizes are being celebrated unashamedly by these artists. Seeing ourselves represented in art can help us feel more confident and reassured about our bodies. Recognising our presence in beautiful artworks is uplifting and may help us feel more accepted by society.
Art is important – it’s all around us and it influences the way we think about ourselves and others. Body positive artists create art that is inclusive and tolerant. If art accepts us, what’s stopping us from accepting ourselves?
Taynee Tinsley
Taynee is a vocal mom-of-one who is fierce about self-acceptance. She’s all about normalising and celebrating all bodies. If you’re needing your daily dose of encouragement, then her page is for you.
This sassy artist also gets candid about mental health and motherhood. She paints and sketches confident, curvy women with splashes of colour and gold leaf. Describing her own work, she is said to paint “soft bodies, hard truths”.
You can find her Instagram page here.
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Libby Phillips
This young artist is mind-blowingly versatile. Libby varies between artistic styles almost constantly, but her body positive message remains crystal clear. She often sketches nudes or paints muted watercolours.
Her current style involves line drawings and text layered over photos of nature. This creates a stunning visual effect. Moreover, her poems are thoughtful and powerful reflections on what it means to be human.
Follow her on Instagram here.
Stine Greve
Stine is a digital illustrator from Copenhagen, Denmark. Her illustrations contain the dreamiest colours and kindest words of encouragement. She’s as playful as she is opinionated, and wow, do we love her.
Stine’s work stresses the magic of being alive and healthy in your body. She’s stern when it comes to body-shaming, and proudly declares “You’re not fat, you have fat.”
See more of Stine’s majestic works here.
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Louie Läuger
Louie’s soft illustrations are often accompanied by tender, thought provoking captions. The posts’ captions also often invite discussion and engagement. So if you’re wanting more than a pretty picture, then you’ll adore Louie’s social media.
Moreover, Louie educates followers with informative illustrated lessons on sexuality, love, and self-acceptance. Louie encourages followers to broaden their horizons and potentially step out of their comfort zones for the sake of creating a loving online environment.
You can visit Louie’s profile here.
Polly Nor
Body positive artist Polly Nor draws “women and their demons”. The women in the drawings are in their bedrooms, tackling issues like self-esteem and feminine identity in the 21st century. She’s pretty famous, having even illustrated entire music videos.
Her style is rather abstract and strange. But her use of bright colours and interesting shapes is so captivating. She plays with the idea of women’s inner demons’ in a charming way. The demons become cute and even relatable. Polly shows us that everyone is struggling with something – so we’re actually all okay, if you think about it.
See more of Polly’s provocative work here.
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By Features Writer Ashton Kirsten
