Vanessa Cross' art is deeply rooted in place and memory, whether centering and recalling family and community, or engaging the unique Southern California landscape en plen air. Working in oil, acrylic, and printmaking, she explores this unique region as both a physical environment and a cultural crossroads—where ocean, light, urban sprawl, desert edges, and lived histories intersect. These landscapes are not mere backdrops; they serve as active witnesses, holding stories of migration, resilience, and transformation.
Drawing from her African American heritage, her art practice also honors traditions of endurance, improvisation, and visual storytelling. Through layered surfaces, rhythmic mark-making, and a balance between abstraction and representation, she strives to reclaim space—both geographic and historical—within landscapes where Black presence has often been overlooked or rendered invisible
2026 GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
IGNITE 2026: Year of the Fire Horse. An art exhibition of personal perspectives on the intense, dynamic energy of the Year of the Fire Horse, curated by Peggy Sivert. Opening reception: Saturday, July 11, 2026 from 4:00 pm- 7:00 pm. Closing reception: August 1, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Range Projects Gallery, 3718 West Slauson Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043.
FREEDOM OF COLOR: A celebration of Black freedom, resilience and artistic expression. A celebration of Juneteenth. Opening Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The show runs June 20-27, 2026. Open Door Studio, 329 W. 5th Street, Oxnard, CA 93030.
17TH ANNUAL PASTEL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. A group art exhibition: May 28 - June 15, 2026. Destination | Art, 1815 213th St #135, Torrance, CA 90501.
WHAT COMES NEXT, a Southern California Women's Caucus for Art (SCWCA) group exhibition at The Los Angeles Makery Gallery, 260 South Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Show dates: May 9 - 31, 2026.
FINE ART AMERICA
SAATCHI ART
Follow me on Instagram:
@vanessacross412
