Fiona Stephenson

From punk to pin-up. A British artist pays homage to the American pin-up.

- Paul Gambino

Fiona Stephenson is a trained illustrator who studied at Barnsley and Harrow School of Art in the mid-80’s. Her early career found her doing TV and magazine illustrations before comic book lettering for Judge Dredd 2000 A.D and Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000, which led to coloring work for D.C Comics. While being steeped in the comic book world is where Fiona discovered and fell in love with American Pin-Up art, in particular Gil Elvgren, Zoe Mozart and George Petty. After discovering the art of Pin-Up, Fiona felt the need to branch out beyond comic book coloring and decided to teach herself to oil paint. After spending a couple of years building up a reputation as an Elvgren tribute painter, Fiona then started creating her own vintage styled pin-up girls.

Fiona is now recognized as a modern Pin-Up artist in her own right, although she will be the first to admit that she still takes her inspiration from the artists of the 1940s and ‘50s.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born and raised in South Yorkshire; it’s an industrial part of the UK.

Do you feel that had any influence on you becoming an artist?

There is no obvious link, but it’s possible there’s a subtle influence. The area I come from is quite deprived, and I believe working-class people tend to be creative. My Mum used to draw pin-up style ice skaters for me to copy when I was young. I realized later she was copying the work of George Petty and Bradshaw Crandell.

What was the progression from art student to professional artist?