Vanessa grew up in Oxfordshire and studied illustration at Brighton, graduating in 1990. Observational drawing has always been at the core of what she does, whether it is illustrating, painting or printmaking. Her linocuts are intricately carved and multilayered and printed on her Harry F Rochat Albion Press in her garden studio in Norwich.

Vanessa exhibits in various galleries around the country as well as annually with the Norwich Print Fair. Her portrait 'Rosie and Pumpkin' was selected for the 2012 BP award at the National Portrait Gallery and was chosen as the main publicity for the show that year.