About Me

“Since childhood I have had a love for the fantastic and the imaginary – I enjoy depicting the real and unreal together, harmony and conundrum, a juxtaposition of the unusual with the everyday. My characters invoke a sense of pathos or disquieting whimsy, and I like to encourage viewers to invent their own narratives.”

Kaitlin Beckett is a painter, illustrator and sculptor working in Melbourne, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. Her mixed media works on paper, canvas and assemblage sculptures are a curious bestiary of creatures from the sea, air, land and subconscious; expressing a surreal narrative rich in symbolism, humour and biological paradox.

Influenced by quirks of the natural world, mythology and dreams, her art illustrates dystopian post-apocalyptic scenes in which slightly humanoid characters adapt, hybridise and evolve in awkward and impractical ways. Emphasis is placed on texture, line and detail by layering acrylics, gouache, pencils and pastel. Kaitlin also incorporates random splatters, stencils and airbrushing, alongside traditional painting and drawing techniques. She has held several solo exhibitions in Melbourne; exhibited in Australia, New Zealand, America, England, Japan, and Canada; and her works have been collected throughout the world.

Kaitlin works full time from her home studio while listening to podcasts and her snoring cat. She likes sketching while watching old sci fi movies, cryptozoology, collecting gas masks and hoarding art materials, some of which she has had since she was 5.

Selected Media and Publications

OUT OF STEP BOOKS
I have a dinosaur piece in the Out of Step Books publication ‘Slithers and Scales of Inspiration’. (Nov 2017)

HOUSEINK MAGAZINE
I have an interview and feature in Houseink Magazine. (Feb 2016).

STREET ANATOMY
So pleased to have a little mention in one of my favourite blogs. (Dec 2015).

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SCIENCE ART BLOG
My feathered dinobeasts were featured in the Symbiartic Blog. (Sept 2015).

JUST ANOTHER BOOK
My agency released their fourth publication. You can find this one and the previous Just Another Books for sale here. (July 2015).

FLAMINGO
I’m happy to have a piece of flamingo-related art published in ‘Flamingo’, a book by Caitlin Kight, part of the Animal series by Reaktion Books. You can look at a preview and purchase this one here. (June 2015).

OUT OF STEP BOOKS
I’m happy to have pieces in Out of Step Books publications ‘Black and White’ and ‘Excavate’. (March 2015)

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SCIENCE ART BLOG
Happy to have a little feature in the Symbiartic Blog here. (Sept 2014).

6YL
Six Years Later magazine included a piece of mine in their 3rd edition with the theme ‘Instinct’. You can buy it from their website here. (Feb 2014).

JUST ANOTHER BOOK
My agency released their third publication, featuring a spread of my work and an interview. You can find them for sale here. (Dec 2013).

REANIMATION VIDEO
A vid of the opening night here put together by Carl Ellison (Nov 2013).

STUPID KRAP’S RED BOOK
I was a finalist and had an image featured in Stupid Krap’s Red Book, released at the Adelaide Analogue/Digital conference in October. The book can be ordered from here. (Oct 2013).

NOTHING TO NOBODY
A wee mention on Nothing to Nobody magazine here! (Oct 2013).

RED BUBBLE INTERVIEW AND STUDIO SHOTS
Red Bubble came by my studio and took some shots and asked me questions. Have a read here! (Oct 2013).

MY 5 THINGS ON LAZY GRAMOPHONE
As part of the promotion for the Time Project, Lazy Gramophone asked me about my top 5 influences as an artist. (Apr 2013).

FEATURE ON SYMBIARTIC
My bloodgoats got a mention on the Symbiartic Blog on Scientific American. (Mar 2013).

JUST ANOTHER BOOK
My agency released their second publication, featuring a spread of my work and an interview. You can find them for sale here. (Dec 2012).

COVER AND INTERVIEW IN DEBATE MAGAZINE
I got the cover and a feature interview in Issue #24 of AUT’s Debate magazine. You can read the full mag here. (Oct 2012).

NOTHING TO NOBODY
I have an interview in issue #9 of this brilliant publication. Download my bit here (1.7MB). (July 2012).

JUST ANOTHER BOOK
My agency released their first publication, featuring a spread of my work and an interview. (Mar 2012).

THE.SOFT.ANONYMOUS
An interview with me here by science blog the.soft.anonymous. (Feb 2012).

EXOSKELETONS VIDEOS
A show preview video here and a vid of the opening night here put together by Carl Ellison. (June/July 2011).

INVURT INTERVIEW
A short interview with me on the Invurt website. (June 2011).

I WANT YOUR SKULL
My piece Bird King is featured in issue 9 of the wonderful I Want Your Skull book. (June 2010).

BLANKET MAGAZINE – FEATURE AND COLLABORATION PROJECT
Online magazine Blanket featured me in a little article (“Cosmos” issue #22), and editor Bec Brown and I collaborated on a piece, inspired by some objects she had that she thought I might like to draw. The feature includes an interview with me, some work in progress shots and the finished creature. (June 2010).

A WEE WRITE-UP ON STROBED
A nice mention on Strobed plus some shots of the opening night of Medium:Vinyl at Hardware Gallery. (May 2010).

INTERVIEW & FEATURE – CURVY #6
I’m very pleased to have been one of 6 featured artists in Curvy 6 – a collection of female artists/illustrators from Australia and beyond. The show launching the book opened on April the 2nd 2009 at Mori Gallery in Sydney. (April 2009).

Contact Me
By email
My main social media accounts:
Prints, cards and shirts from here:
Represented by
Follow me: @curiousbestiary
Metal Art
I create handmade repoussé artwork and jewellery from pewter under the name 'A Curious Elixir'.
Visit my metal art website:
Visit my etsy shop for metal art: