I don't know many contemporary artists =( which is unfortunate, people I regularly admire the work of would be
Matriar and
Alector on deviantArt, as well as
Paul Kidby (Who at least Nate and BM will recognise, I have the artbook 8D) and
Mike Waters.
If we're talking more classical then I love the works of Salvador Dali and other surrealists.