My favourite painter is Rembrandt von Rijn, and it seems the world agrees with me. I fear this makes me shallow but I nevertheless have to go with the majority on this one: Rembrandt's work never fails to awe with the vibrancy of his figures and the remarkable use of light in his work.

If you need a reminder, check out what has to be my favourite painting, Philosopher in Meditation, a moody, early work that pulls me in every time.

Joseph Mallord William Turner is one of the most acclaimed landscape artists and it's his marine paintings that particularly delight me. They vividly capture the majesty of the sea in all its moods, from serene to angry.

This self-portrait is courtesy of the Tate Collection in England, which presents many of his works on their site.

I confess I've never really appreciated abstract art. Jackson Pollock's canvases, for instance, has always looked to me like the aftermath of dinner for baby. That's why I'm glad my fondness for the work of Wassily Kandinsky keeps me from being a total philistine.

Like me, Kansinsky disliked Impressionism -- he thought such artists "had no right to paint in such an imprecise fashion." Ironic, then, that he ended up painting what seems to me like jazz on canvas -- free yet defined, wild yet controlled -- an amazing balance.

I hope it's no insult to him when I say that what little I do know of art comes from knowing James Huctwith, a fine teacher and a remarkable artist.

His works can often be unsettling and eerie but are always darkly sensual and often beautiful. James works in a realistic style with oils and I've had the privilege of not only watching various works develop but even posing for a couple of them.

I'm always intriqued to see what he comes up with next and, if you're in Toronto, I highly recommend a stop at the O'Connor Gallery to see for yourself.

Having a favourite celebrity photographer is like having a favourite television drama -- they're not terribly rare and some wouldn't consider the work art at all -- but the photographic portrait definitely is and Annie Leibovitz is among its finest artists.

Her work for Rolling Stone and, later, Vanity Fair made her a household name and her success is richly deserved -- each photo I've seen perfectly captures the subject's persona and perhaps even the soul. Even in the case of particularly famous people, the ones who are photographed daily, Leibovitz's images are always fresh and fascinating.