To complement GIPHY’s annual Year in Review, GIPHY Arts is excited to present our list of Artists to Watch! The list features 10 visual artists from across the globe who are creating innovative and inspiring work that is uniquely their own. We hope it will inspire you to take a deeper dive into the many talents of our incredible community.
We present to you, GIPHY Arts’ Artists to Watch list for 2023!
Julia Fernandez
In their words, “Julia Fernandez is an multidisciplinary artist & maker based in NYC. Currently pursuing a BFA in Interactive Media Arts at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Passionate about visual storytelling through a wide variety of mediums.”
Julia is available for freelance animation work via the Hire Me contact form on their channel. Explore Julia’s work on their GIPHY Channel and Website, be sure to follow Julia on Instagram too!
Aylin Ohri
Aylin Ohri is a videographer and a stop-motion artist based in Marmaris, Turkiye. Her work has been curated by agencies like AMV BBDO and featured in award-winning campaigns like The Womb Stories. She is currently working on her new animation projects and exploring AI art in her free time.
Take a tour of Aylin’s various styles of work on her GIPHY channel!
Bryson Williams
In Bryson’s words, “Hello, I’m an illustrator based in Austin, Texas. I’ve been fortunate to be able to work on a wide variety of projects for clients such as Spotify, Facebook, BBC and more! I’m always looking for new projects and creative opportunities, so feel free to contact me!”
This year we commissioned Bryson for a Black Business Month Sticker Pack and why not support Bryson’s business for the holidays!
Bryson is available for freelance animation work via the Hire Me contact form on their channel. Be sure to check out his GIPHY Channel and his Website! Don’t forget to follow Bryson on Instagram too.
Empress Trash
In their own words, “Empress Trash (Drea Jay) is a multi versatile visual artist & nomad with her rottweiler Glitch. A lifelong artist, she earned her BFA in Painting, Drawing, and Animation/Design from the University of Iowa in 2014. Shortly after, she moved to the Bay Area which she assisted and worked alongside a multitude of local and international artists and shows including Ai Wei Wei’s show on Alcatraz, being a member of the Firehouse Art Collective run by Tom Franco, and running her own underground shows from her house. She started in crypto art in 2021 and since has been exhibited internationally including Paris, Palm Springs, Miami Art Basel, NYC, LA, SXSW and Ted Talks Conference in Vancouver.”
Empress Trash is available for freelance animation work via the Hire Me contact form on her channel. Be sure to visit their GIPHY Channel and explore their Link Tree, follow on their Instagram too!
Juan Billy
Juan Billy is a freelance illustrator and animator from Mexico who likes to add a fun touch to all his creations.
This year GIPHY Arts commissioned Juan to create a 30-second Clip short called “Rescue-a-Dog,” which you can also stream on Roku on GIPHY Art’s Public Axis channel. Juan explained his, “…inspiration in old tv cartoons, blogs and other simple things like observing his dogs. In this music microclip, he wanted to portray the lives of rescued dogs from the streets and how their life changes afterwards.”
Sara Priorelli
Sara Priorelli is an animator and illustrator from Italy who’s interested in exploring the grotesque and weird aspects of human beings through irony. Check out Sara’s GIPHY Channel and be sure to follow her Instagram and her Behance!
Sophia Qin
Sophia is an artist and designer based in San Francisco. Her work explores loneliness and the quiet sublime of living in the wide world. Through analog and digital processes she translates her experiences into delicate animations. In the past, she has collaboratively exhibited work in the Catherine Clark Gallery, MuseumLab, The Minnesota Street Project, and FutureLab in Shanghai.
Sophia is available for freelance animation work via the Hire Me contact form on her channel. Learn more about Sophia on her website and follow her on Instagram.
Kohana Wilson
In their own words, “Japanese/English animator based in New York City working with hand drawn and frame-by-frame digital animation. I received my Illustration BFA and Philosophy BA at The New School.”
This year we commissioned Kohana to make a 30 second Clip, “garden of unearthed delights”, which you can stream now on Roku on GIPHY Art’s Public Axis channel.
Be sure to explore Kohana’s GIPHY Channel and website!
prtndstudios
Prtndstudios is a Claymation Studio based in South Central, Los Angeles.
prtnstudios is currently raising funds to bring their studio to the next level, and to recover from a recent fire. In their own words, “We ask anybody who is able to contribute to the official start-up of a proper studio for us to work out of. We feel like what we do is very important as black animators to try to take up space where there isn’t a lot of representation. Funds would go towards securing a studio space and acquiring proper equipment to animate at a professional level (rigs, armatures, animating tables, professional animation software, and a new laptop).”
You can learn more about prtndstudios and their fundraiser here. Explore their GIPHY Channel and follow their social channels such Instagram and TikTok.
Ariel Zaiac
In his own words, “I’m a graphic designer and an artist. What really made a mark on me was having a computer and drawing since I was a child (born in the 1990s). The amazing cartoons in Nickelodeon at that time and also anime gave me a lot of interest in drawing and exploring animation (I’m a big fan of Rocko’s Modern Life and Slam Dunk).
Regarding my work, I love to create gifs, it feels like some sort of magic when giving movement. When I see the world through the lens of the work it makes me feel like I’m seeing it in other colors. Also I like to explore the transformation that occurs when moving from analog to digital and vice versa.”
Check out Ariel’s GIPHY Channel and make sure to follow his Instagram!
GIPHY Arts is proud to support a global community of artists who are constantly pushing the boundaries of GIF art in new and exciting ways. For more from GIPHY Arts, follow us on Instagram.
