how would you go about it?

websites like freelancer.com and whatever seem to have been taken over by one size fits all graphic design companies who deal in glorified clipart. is there some kind of non-shit artist directory where you can look individual people up or something?

been browsing blogs and tumblr and pinterest and whatnot but it just seems to be a clusterfuck of unattributed links and people reposting stuff which isn't theirs.

got any tips?