I actually don't really pay attention to the art scene, so I'm pretty out of date with what's going on. But one person whose craftsmanship I admire mightily is Bill Napier. A quick search didn't find any of his work online, but he's a current realist who could, imo, compete with Vermeer. And, well, Vermeer is kind of the gold standard for me. His works are jewels, finely cut, crafted and polished to show their lustrous depth.

I'm sure, if I looked, I would find others whose art is magnificent, but... *shrug*