Vanessa Stockard (b. 1975) is a contemporary artist living and working in the NSW Southern Highlands with her husband Will, a photographer, their daughter Isobel, and their two Maine Coon cats, Barcode and Satan. Vanessa made her exhibiting debut in the UK during the May 2024 edition of the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead.
Her work reflects a subconscious interpretation of life's delicacies and absurdities, drawing inspiration from film, art, literature, and the natural world. While life is beautiful, it can also be challenging. Vanessa touches upon profound existential questions—human sanity, good and evil—woven with clever humor.
By introducing anthropomorphic feline characters like Kevin the kitten, his father Satan, and Barcode, she creates deeply symbolic yet playful dream-like imagery that enchants viewers of all ages. Her oeuvre presents puzzles from the saga of Kevin and his family, blending fairytale allegory and homage to old masters. Through this, Vanessa has developed a trademark pop-surrealist style and an instantly recognisable artistic mannerism.
