This incredible 16-year-old artist is taking over Instagram

Not everyone can take their dreams and make them into something concrete. Artist Dimitra Milan is one of those people who can. She often draws inspiration from her dreams when creating her surreal, visually stunning paintings. Her work has garnered her more than a little attention on social media — she has over 38K followers on Instagram, and more than 31K Facebook likes. Even more impressive than all that is the fact that Dimitra is only 16 years old.

According to Teen Vogue, Dimitra has already exhibited in Hawaii, Arizona, and Las Vegas, and some of her pieces are included in private collections. Between this and her social media following, she’s known for her art all over the globe. But what it is about her work that appeals to such an international audience?

Apart from taking after the Surrealists and painting the contents of her dreams, Dimitra’s pieces tell stories as intricate as the crafting of the paintings themselves. She’s also greatly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood: 19th century painters who featured such epic subjects such as figures from Greek mythology and the legend of King Arthur.

Often influenced by her imagination, Dimitra’s works frequently feature young women depicted as strong and wise. Floral and animal motifs are also featured throughout Dimitra’s work. While she does hope that her art ultimately appeals to different people for different reasons, she does acknowledge that the symbolism in her work is intentional. As she told Teen Vogue, “…when I paint women and tigers together, I feel like the tiger represents being bold and staying true to yourself.”

Finally, setting is an important part of Dimitra’s art — which has the added benefit of frequent travel for the purposes of inspiration. In fact, she’s currently in Prague, and we’re more than a little jealous. To learn more about Dimitra’s work, or to purchase a print of one of her stunning pieces, you can visit her website. Her work can also be appreciated irl at these galleries; if you can’t make it to one of them, you can always follow her Instagram so your feed can be enhanced by her dreamy work!