Famous 21st Century Artists & Painters

Vote for Your Favourite 21st Century Artists & Painters

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 1 
David Hockney
(Painter)
David Hockney
12
Birthdate: July 9, 1937
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bradford

Painter, photographer, printmaker, and stage designer David Hockney is best known for his works such as Portrait of an Artist, which became the most expensive piece of art by a living artist ever auctioned, at $90 million. His works have explored themes such as homosexuality. He has synesthesia, too.

 2 
Jasper Johns
(Painter, Sculptor, Costume designer)
Jasper Johns
6
Birthdate: May 15, 1930
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Augusta

Presidential Medal-winning artist Jasper Johns is best known for his contribution to the pop art movement. His paintings revolve around subjects such as flags, numbers, and letters, whereas he has also gained fame for his cast sculpture art such as Painted Bronze. He also once experimented by attaching strings to his art.

 3 
Matthew Gray Gubler
(Actor, Director, Model, Painter)
Matthew Gray Gubler
26
Birthdate: March 9, 1980
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Las Vegas

American actor, Matthew Gray Gubler, is best known for playing the character of Dr Spencer Reid in the popular and acclaimed television series Criminal Minds. He has also acted in films like 500 Days of Summer, Suburban Gothic and How to Be a Serial Killer. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for his role in the television series, The Beauty Inside.

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 4 
Banksy
(Graffiti Artist)
Banksy
8
Birthdate: 1974 AD
Birthplace: Bristol, England

Speaking to world through his spray paints and stencils, Banksy is a popular, though anonymous, graffiti artist. He has a unique style that includes stenciling technique and is known for delivering satirical political and social messages. With fans all over the world, this mysterious artist’s works are worth millions of pounds.

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 5 
Gerhard Richter
(German Visual Artist)
Gerhard Richter
4
Birthdate: February 9, 1932
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dresden, Germany

German visual artist Gerhard Richter started out as a Social Realist painter and was later exposed to avant-garde art. He mastered the art of painting scenes collected from newspapers and magazines, including terrorists and serial killer victims. He later also worked on stained-glass design and abstract art.

 6 
Yayoi Kusama
(Contemporary Artist)
Yayoi Kusama
4
Birthdate: March 22, 1929
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama is known for her variety of artforms, including sculpture, installations, paintings, and fashion. She mingles elements such as feminism, surrealism, and abstract expressionism, and expresses her struggle with mental illness through her art. She has also published books and produced an award-winning film. 
 7 
Grace Slick
(Retired Singer-Songwriter - Was A Key Figure in San Francisco's Early 'Psychedelic Music' Scene in the Mid-1960s)
Grace Slick
6
Birthdate: October 30, 1939
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Highland Park, Illinois, United States

Grace Slick is a retired singer-songwriter. Slick played an important role in the psychedelic music scene that flourished in San Francisco during the mid-1960s. One of the earliest female rock stars, Slick played a key role in the development of rock music during the 1960s. She was named among the Greatest Women of Rock N Roll by VH1 in 1999.

 8 
Akira Toriyama
(Japanese Manga Artist)
Akira Toriyama
8
Birthdate: April 5, 1955
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Died: March 1, 2024

Akira Toriyama is a Japanese character designer and manga artist. The creator of one of the most popular manga series of all time, Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama is widely considered one of the most influential artists to have changed the history of manga; his creation Dragon Ball is often cited as a source of inspiration by several manga artists.

 9 
Junji Ito
(Japanese Horror Mangaka and Writer)
Junji Ito
4
Birthdate: July 31, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Gifu, Japan

Junji Ito is a Japanese manga artist known for his horror manga series, such as Tomie, Uzumaki, and Gyo. Tomie has been adapted into a series of Japanese films, while Uzumaki was adapted into a 2000 film of the same name. In 2019, Junji Ito was honored with an Eisner Award for his work. 

 10 
Masashi Kishimoto
(Manga Artist)
Masashi Kishimoto
6
Birthdate: November 8, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Nagi, Okayama Prefecture
Japanese manga artist Masashi Kishimoto is best known for creating the manga series Naruto for the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. The series eventually led to several anime, video games, and movies, such as Boruto: Naruto the Movie and The Last: Naruto the Movie, supervised by Kishimoto. 
 11 
Steve Ditko
(American Comics Artist and Comic Writer Best Known for Being Co-creator of Marvel Superhero 'Spider-Man')
Steve Ditko
5
Birthdate: November 2, 1927
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: June 29, 2018

Steve Ditko was a writer and comics artist. He is credited with co-creating popular Marvel Comics superheroes like Doctor Strange and Spider-Man. Ditko is also credited with co-creating Captain Atom, a character that appears in DC Comics. Ditko received several awards including many Alley Awards. In 1994, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

 12 
Margaret Keane
6
Birthdate: September 15, 1927
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
 13 
David Choe
(Street artist)
David Choe
4
Birthdate: April 21, 1976
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
 14 
Lauren Lapkus
(Actress)
Lauren Lapkus
5
Birthdate: September 6, 1985
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 15 
Martin Mull
(Comedian, Actor, Painter, and Recording Artist Known for His Role in the TV Series ‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman’)
Martin Mull
4
Birthdate: August 18, 1943
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Actor/comedian Martin Mull soared to fame with the soap Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and its spin-off, Fernwood 2 Night. He also delivered an Emmy-nominated performance in Veep and voiced a role in Danny Phantom. An avid painter, too, he has held various exhibitions and released a book of his paintings.
 16 
Melissa Villaseñor
(Actress)
Melissa Villaseñor
5
Birthdate: October 9, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Whittier, California, USA
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 17 
Susan Mikula
(American Artist and Photographer)
Susan Mikula
5
Birthdate: March 7, 1958
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New Jersey, United States
Self-taught photographer Susan Mikula is known for using old Polaroids and pinhole cameras to create her masterpieces. She was an accountant earlier and has also worked for the U.S. consulate in Mexico. The LGBT icon is in a long-term relationship with her partner, journalist and TV personality Rachel Maddow.
 18 
Gloria Vanderbilt
(Artist and Fashion Designer Best Remembered for her Custody Battle)
Gloria Vanderbilt
9
Birthdate: February 20, 1924
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: June 17, 2019

Gloria Vanderbilt was an American fashion designer, actress, author, and socialite. As a child, she was subjected to a child custody trial, which the press named trial of the century due to its high-profile nature. As a designer, Vanderbilt is credited with developing and popularizing designer blue jeans. She also launched a line of household goods and perfumes.

 19 
Ai Weiwei
(Artistic Consultant for Design of the Beijing National Stadium)
Ai Weiwei
5
Birthdate: August 28, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Named Art Review’s most powerful artist in 2011, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has become a symbol of resilience against the authoritarian Chinese government. Jailed and banned from leaving the country once, he is known for using various media, such as sculpture, photos, and documentaries, to reflect Chinese human-rights abuses.
 20 
Yvonne McGuinness
(Irish Visual Artist)
Yvonne McGuinness
6
Birthdate: October 12, 1972
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kilkenny, Ireland
Irish visual artist Yvonne McGuinness is renowned for her video installations and prints. Most of her art works revolve around themes of conflict between revealing and hiding one’s true self. She has also made several short films, such as Charlie's Place. She is married to Irish actor Cillian Murphy.
 21 
Kristin Nelson
(American Primitive Painter, Actress and Author)
Kristin Nelson
5
Birthdate: June 25, 1945
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Burbank, California, United States
Died: April 27, 2018
Kristin Nelson is remembered for her appearances in films such as The Resurrection of Broncho Billy. She was married to actor/musician Ricky Nelson but later got involved in a bitter custody battle involving their fourth son, Sam. A primitive painter, too, she had published an autobiography interspersed with her paintings. 
 22 
Hirohiko Araki
(Japanese Manga Artist Known for His Long-Running Series ‘JoJo's Bizarre Adventure’)
Hirohiko Araki
5
Birthdate: June 7, 1960
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Hirohiko Araki is a Japanese manga artist best known for writing and illustrating the popular manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, which has sold more than 100 million copies in Japan. Also a responsible citizen, Hirohiko Araki drew artwork depicting the Hiraizumi ruins in an attempt to raise awareness of the reconstruction efforts of the ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 23 
Thomas Kinkade
5
Birthdate: January 19, 1958
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, United States
Died: April 6, 2012

Painter Thomas Kinkade is remembered for his realistic and idyllic themes. He gained fame by selling printed copies of his art through the Thomas Kinkade Company. He called himself the "Painter of Light” and copyrighted the phrase, too. The movie Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage was based on his life.

 24 
Christopher Tolkien
(Editor, Illustrator, Academic and the Son of Author J. R. R. Tolkien)
Christopher Tolkien
7
Birthdate: November 21, 1924
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Leeds, United Kingdom
Died: January 16, 2020

Christopher Tolkien was a French and English academic editor. The son of legendary author J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher edited much of his father's work, which was published after his father's demise. Christopher Tolkien is also credited with drawing the original maps in, The Lord of the Rings, one of his father's highly acclaimed novels.

 25 
Tom Franco
(American Artist, Actor and Founder of the ‘Firehouse Art Collective’)
Tom Franco
6
Birthdate: April 14, 1980
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Palo Alto, California, United States

Tom Franco is an American artist and actor. He is credited with founding the Firehouse Art Collective, an art gallery in Berkeley, California. The younger brother of actor and filmmaker, James Franco, Tom Franco followed in the footsteps of his brother to become an actor before exploring his skills as an artist.

 26 
Todd McFarlane
(Canadian Comic-Book-Creator, Artist, Writer, Best Known as the Creator of the Popular Spawn Comics)
Todd McFarlane
4
Birthdate: March 16, 1961
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Calgary, Canada

Todd McFarlane is a Canadian writer, artist, comic book creator, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. Renowned for his artistic work on The Amazing Spider-Man, Todd became a comic book superstar during the 1980s and 1990s for his work on the Spider-Man franchise. As an entrepreneur, Todd McFarlane is credited with founding Todd McFarlane Productions and its subsidiary McFarlane Toys.

 27 
Dale Chihuly
(Glass Artist)
Dale Chihuly
4
Birthdate: September 20, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Tacoma, Washington, United States
 28 
Jwan Yosef
(Swedish Painter and Artist Who is Specializes in Plastic Arts)
Jwan Yosef
8
Birthdate: September 6, 1984
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Al-Hasakah, Syria

Jwan Yosef is a Swedish artist and painter who specializes in plastic arts. Over the course of his career, Yosef has participated in a number of group exhibitions and art fairs. He is also credited with founding The Bomb Factory Art Foundation in North London.

 29 
Yoko Ono
(Artist and Musician Who Was an Influential Practitioner of Conceptual & Performance Art)
Yoko Ono
16
Birthdate: February 18, 1933
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan

Yoko Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, peace activist, and singer-songwriter. She came into prominence after marrying John Lennon of the Beatles. She is widely criticized for her unquestionable influence over John Lennon and his music. She is also often blamed for the disbandment of The Beatles. Despite all these criticisms, Yoko Ono continues to go on her merry way.

 30 
Françoise Gilot
(French Painter Best Known for Her Relationship with 'Pablo Picasso')
Françoise Gilot
4
Birthdate: November 26, 1921
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France

Françoise Gilot is a French painter whose professional career was overshadowed by her long and turbulent relationship with Spanish painter Pablo Picasso. After breaking up with Picasso, with whom Gilot had two children, the former deterred galleries from buying her work. He even tried blocking the release of her memoir Life With Picasso which was released in 1964.

 31 
Takashi Murakami
(Contemporary Artist Who Is the Founder and President of Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd)
Takashi Murakami
6
Birthdate: February 1, 1962
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan

Takashi Murakami is a Japanese contemporary artist who works in both fine arts media and commercial arts media. He is known for blurring the line between “high” and “low” arts. He is the founder of the art production and artist management company Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. He has collaborated with the fashion brand Louis Vuitton as well. 

 32 
Ross Marquand
(Actor)
Ross Marquand
5
Birthdate: August 22, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 33 
Anne-Marie Johnson
5
Birthdate: July 18, 1960
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 34 
Richard Serra
(American Sculptor and Painter)
Richard Serra
3
Birthdate: November 2, 1938
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: March 24, 2024

Richard Serra is an American artist renowned for his large-scale sculptures that are designed for site-specific landscape, architectural, and urban settings. Many of his works are displayed in several museums, including The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris. Serra is the recipient of several prestigious awards like The National Arts Award.

 35 
Pendleton Ward
(American Animator, Screenwriter, Producer and Voice Actor)
Pendleton Ward
5
Birthdate: September 23, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, United States
 36 
Dav Pilkey
(Author and Illustrator of the Children's Book Series 'Captain Underpants' & 'Dog Man')
Dav Pilkey
4
Birthdate: March 4, 1966
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Dav Pilkey is an American cartoonist, illustrator, and author of children's literature. Pilkey is best known for illustrating and authoring a popular children's book series named Captain Underpants which earned him the prestigious Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Award in 2007.

 37 
Fernando Botero
(Painter, Sculptor, Artist)
Fernando Botero
4
Birthdate: April 19, 1932
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Medellín, Colombia
 38 
Naoko Takeuchi
(One of the Most Popular Manga Series of All Time)
Naoko Takeuchi
4
Birthdate: March 15, 1967
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan

Japanese manga artist Naoko Takeuchi is best known as the author of Sailor Moon, a multiple-award-winning manga series. She was interested in becoming a manga artist from a young age. However, she studied chemistry in college to please her father. Shortly after graduation, she entered the manga industry and found success in her chosen field within a few years.

 39 
Heart Evangelista
6
Birthdate: February 14, 1985
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Manila, Philippines

Heart Evangelista is a Filipina actress, TV host, singer, philanthropist, and socialite. She began working as a model and actress while still in her teens. As a young woman, she continued acting while also establishing herself as a painter. She launched the foundation 'Heart Can' to help children with special needs. She is married to politician Francis Escudero.

 40 
Taylor Negron
(Actor)
Taylor Negron
5
Birthdate: August 1, 1957
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Glendale, California, United States
Died: January 10, 2015
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 41 
Cindy Sherman
(American Photographer and Director)
Cindy Sherman
4
Birthdate: January 19, 1954
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Glen Ridge, New Jersey, United States
 42 
Zeena Schreck
(Visual and musical artist)
Zeena Schreck
4
Birthdate: November 19, 1963
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
 43 
Nas Daily
(Video blogger)
Nas Daily
6
Birthdate: February 9, 1992
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Arraba, Israel Arraba, Israel

Israeli-Arab travel vlogger Nuseir Yassin, better known to netizens as Nas Daily, has gained global fame with his 1000 daily one-minute Facebook and YouTube videos. His vlogs cover everything from luxury resorts to villages. He has also launched NAS Academy to train upcoming vloggers and video creators.

 44 
Hugh Dennis
(English Comedian, Actor, Impressionist and Writer)
Hugh Dennis
4
Birthdate: February 13, 1962
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kettering, England
 45 
Hiromu Arakawa
(Japanese Manga Artist Best Known for the Manga Series ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’)
Hiromu Arakawa
4
Birthdate: May 8, 1973
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Makubetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
Raised on a farm, Hiromu Arakawa realized her potential as a manga artist early in life and thus went to Tokyo to try her luck. The Shogakugan Manga Award-winning artist is now known for her internationally renowned Fullmetal Alchemist manga series, which has given birth to an entire franchise.
 46 
Eric Carle
(Author)
Eric Carle
4
Birthdate: June 25, 1929
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Syracuse, New York, United States
Died: May 23, 2021
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
 47 
Carmine Giovinazzo
(Actor)
Carmine Giovinazzo
4
Birthdate: August 24, 1973
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Richmond [now Staten Island], New York City, New York, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 48 
Chuck Close
(Painter)
Chuck Close
4
Birthdate: July 5, 1940
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Monroe, Washington, U.S.
Died: August 19, 2021
 49 
Swizz Beatz
(Record producer, Entrepreneur, Painter, Rapper, Singer, Businessperson, Songwriter)
Swizz Beatz
9
Birthdate: September 13, 1978
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New York City
 50 
Marjane Satrapi
(Graphic Novelist Known for Her Works 'Persepolis' and 'Chicken with Plums')
Marjane Satrapi
4
Birthdate: November 22, 1969
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rasht, Iran

Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, children's book author, and film director. Satrapi achieved international recognition in the early-2000s after releasing her critically acclaimed graphic novels. She is best known for writing and directing an animated biographical drama film titled Persepolis, which received nominations at prestigious award ceremonies, such as the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Golden Globes.