In no particular order - Mark Harrison. He paints a wide range of subjects and is an excellent draughtsman and handles colour in an interesting way. His blog shows you how he produces his works.
www.paintingsbymarkharrison.com
Wonderful work! I am afraid I don't keep up with current illustrators. I'm not sure I can remember when I last saw an illustration in a magazine or book...or anywhere else for that matter. Now photography seems to be the prevalent medium...at least in the US. Graphic design as a whole is dominated by computer usage. Years ago, I was passed over for a graphic design position. The person who was hired had no background in art but was a whiz at computers. Appreciation of good art and design is diminishing.