Gary Shead is one of Australia's most highly acclaimed figurative painters, winning the Archibald Prize in 1993. The same year, Shead completed a series of paintings based on D.H. Lawrence's book 'Kangaroo'.

Later he turned his humorous and satirical eye to Australia's relationship with Queen Elizabeth II. Shead is represented in the National Gallery of Australia and all state galleries, many regional galleries and numerous private and corporate collections, both nationally and internationally.