Vanessa Inkamala was born in Ntaria (Hermannsburg) in 1968 and is a senior Western Aranda artist based in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Northern Territory. She comes from a strong artistic lineage: her great-uncle was the renowned artist Albert Namatjira, and her aunt, the late Ivy Pareroultja, was also a highly respected painter. 

Vanessa developed her practice within the watercolour tradition associated with the Hermannsburg School, a style historically linked to her family and region. Over time she has combined this heritage with influences from the Eastern Arrernte artistic community, producing works that reflect the landscapes and cultural Country of Central Australia.

Vanessa paints full-time through the Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre (an Aboriginal-owned art centre in Alice Springs), and her work is held in significant collections nationally.