The contemporary reinvention of landscape painting
artists you need to know
In my previous letter, I recommended a show that is currently on at the LAMB gallery in London. It’s a duo show of two artists: Daisy Dodd-Noble and Valentino Cortázar. I’ve been following Daisy’s work for years, and I’ve also been wanting to add her to my collection. Her work is like a contemporary version of Salvo. This made me think again about the importance of nature/landscape-inspired art. The first artworks I ever admired were Monet’s paintings from Giverny ( of course, I still admire them today). But I like to look at how landscape painting has evolved and what it means to us now. I want to talk about this trend in today’s letter and look at emerging early-career artists who are worthwhile.
Besides creating dreamlike scenes that evoke introspection and nostalgia, the contemporary art market has witnessed a notable resurgence in interest toward landscape-inspired paintings, driven by evolving collector interest in works addressing ecological concerns. Artists incorporating themes of climate change, natural decay, and environmental preservation are finding favour among collectors who value art with a message. This shift reflects a broader societal emphasis on sustainability and environmental awareness. Collectors also show increased interest in landscape works by artists from underrepresented regions, including Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This inclusivity enriches the landscape genre with varied cultural interpretations and styles. Landscape-inspired works continue to perform well, particularly those by established artists, but I can see this trend in mid-career or emerging artists, after all, the theme of nature is widely appealing to the human eye.
As usual, below is a curated selection of artists who reimagine the historical art tradition of landscape painting. We start with ultra-contemporary, aka blue-chip names that are established and pricey, then move on to rising stars and, last but not least, early career emerging artists.
🖼️ Ultra-contemporary / blue chip stars
Shara Hughes
Shara Hughes creates psychedelic, emotionally charged landscapes that exist somewhere between reality and imagination. Her bold compositions, filled with swirling patterns and kaleidoscopic color, reflect an intuitive painting process that resists categorization. Her work has become a staple of major international collections, with auction prices soaring in recent years, signaling her as one of the most in-demand contemporary painters.
Jonas Wood
Jonas Wood is known for his graphic, flattened depictions of domestic interiors, landscapes, and potted plants, merging influences from modernist painting and personal memory. His signature style combines vivid patterns with a childlike sense of perspective, creating intimate yet iconic compositions. A market favorite, Wood consistently sees strong sales at auction and is widely collected across the globe.
Peter Doig
Peter Doig’s lush, atmospheric paintings transport viewers into dreamlike worlds that blend memory, history, and fiction. Drawing on a wide range of references—from Caribbean landscapes to Canadian winters—Doig’s work redefines the possibilities of figurative painting. His status as one of the leading contemporary artists is cemented by record-breaking auction results and exhibitions in major institutions worldwide.
🖌️The ‘rising’ stars
Marina Perez Simao
Brazilian artist Marina Perez Simão paints lyrical abstractions inspired by the natural world, memory, and music. Her ethereal compositions often evoke landscapes without directly depicting them, using soft layers of color and texture to suggest inner and outer worlds. Her poetic sensibility and rising profile have made her a standout in a new generation of painters embracing a contemplative approach.
Daisy Dodd-Noble
Daisy Dodd-Noble is a British artist known for her mystical, stylized depictions of landscapes. Using vibrant color and caricature-like forms, she transforms familiar rural scenes into enchanting, otherworldly environments. Her work draws on travel and memory, often capturing the light and flora of locations such as Costa Rica, Portugal, and Ibiza, adding emotional depth to her bold compositions.
Camilla Engström
Swedish-born, LA-based artist Camilla Engström is celebrated for her playful and sensual approach to painting, often channeling a sense of body awareness, nature, and joy. Her semi-abstract landscapes, often featuring her alter ego “Husa,” radiate warmth and empowerment. Engström's work resonates with a generation seeking beauty, softness, and authenticity in contemporary art.
Valentino Cortázar
Colombian artist Valentino Cortázar brings a poetic lens to landscape painting, blending memory and place with vivid Mediterranean-infused color. His works transcend literal representation, capturing an emotional connection to nature and light. A globe-trotter who studied across Europe before returning to Colombia, Cortázar’s works often depict the Sierra Nevada and Caribbean coast with lyrical abstraction and reverence.
🎨Early career - emerging artists:
Stefan Jeske
German artist Stefan Jeske paints mysterious, often haunting landscapes that sit at the edge of abstraction and figuration. His palette tends toward earthy and moody tones, and his scenes frequently carry an eerie quietude, evoking the psychological depth of nature. Jeske's work has found a strong niche among collectors drawn to emotionally charged, atmospheric painting.
Joani Tremblay
Canadian artist Joani Tremblay creates imagined landscapes rooted in psychological terrain and architectural cues. Her work often combines precise gradients and plant forms with surreal structures, suggesting controlled environments that are at once futuristic and natural. Tremblay’s detailed, polished surfaces and conceptual underpinning have earned her critical acclaim and a growing following in contemporary painting circles.
Yoonjoong Cho
Korean-born, London-based artist Yoonjoong Cho explores memory, transience, and nature through delicate, semi-abstract landscapes. Using subtle layers and muted tones, Cho’s paintings convey a quiet emotionality, often capturing fleeting moments in nature. Her practice is deeply meditative, inviting viewers into an intimate space of contemplation and stillness.
Christina Haglid
Christina Haglid, an American artist and illustrator, is known for her small-scale, detailed paintings that often center on solitary structures—cabins, homes, or boats—set in whimsical, sometimes surreal landscapes. Her meticulous style and storytelling sensibility create a strong sense of narrative and introspection, blurring the line between still life and dreamscape.
