Stuart Shepherd was born in the Waikato, in 1954.  He studied a Bachelor of Social Sciences at the University of Waikato and later studied at Canterbury University, Alexander Mackay College in Sydney, and East Sydney Tech, gaining a MFA from RMIT, Melbourne in 1999.  From 1981 to 1995 Shepherd was a model-maker and set designer for TV commercials in New York.   Upon his return to New Zealand, he became involved with community art projects, and in 2000 undertook a survey of self-taught artists and visionary art.  His own work has been exhibited extensively within New Zealand; The active eye survey of N.Z. photography Wellington City Gallery; “Goodwork” video work, the Jim and Mary Barr collection, Art Space Auckland; “Flesh and Fruity” Video, Dowse Museum Lower Hutt;  “This Other World” photography and video, Pataka Museum  Porirua; “It’s a small world” installation with video, Enjoy Gallery Wellington; “Save the Robots” Kinetic sculpture, Upper Hutt Arts and Entertainment Centre.  Shepherd currently resides in Wellington, where he lectures at Massey University in painting, drawing and design.