Woman and cat in kitchen with bugs

Mixed Media, Paper (Requires Framing)

21cm (W) x 15cm (H) x 0.2cm (D)

Certificate of Authenticity Included

(Requires Framing)

A$260

Arrives 16–18 Aug

Free Shipping Australia Wide · Free returns

Artwork Description

This piece was inspired by the way small, everyday problems can quietly spiral into something overwhelming. The setting is familiar and domestic—a kitchen, a pet, a routine space—but it’s been overtaken by an infestation that feels both absurd and genuinely unsettling.

The bugs act as a visual stand-in for intrusive thoughts, stress, or situations that feel impossible to contain once they’ve started. They’re everywhere, embedded into cupboards, walls, and appliances, turning the idea of home into something unstable. The woman’s expression suggests a kind of frozen awareness—caught between panic and resignation—while the cat appears alert but oddly composed, as if it’s accepted the chaos as normal.

The inspiration comes from those moments where life feels slightly out of control, but nothing dramatic enough is happening to justify stopping everything. Instead, you keep standing there, watching it unfold.

In a room, this artwork brings strong visual energy through colour, pattern, and repetition. It draws people in quickly, then reveals its humour and tension more slowly. While the subject hints at anxiety, the playful style keeps the work approachable, making it a piece that adds character, conversation, and a slightly mischievous edge to a space rather than weighing it down.

Artist Bio

John Stockwell is an artist based in the lush hinterland of Maleny, Queensland.

For a decade he worked as a portrait artist, honing his skill in capturing the human face with precision and sensitivity. Eventually, though, the pull of pure imagination became too strong to ignore. He set aside realism and began creating bold, quirky, exaggerated characters—wide-eyed women with swirling gazes, outsized lips, and a mischievous energy that leaps off the page.

His current works are playful, slightly absurd, and unapologetically expressive. Bright colours, distorted features, and unexpected scenarios (Glittering fish, lurking cats, floating skulls) combine to create scenes that feel both humorous and oddly haunting.

John’s art is about letting the subconscious run the show—turning everyday moments into surreal little stories that make you pause, smile, and look twice.

You can find his original drawings and limited-edition prints exclusively on Bluethumb

Commissions

John's studio is in Maleny QLD