Fiona Hawthorne

Short Biography

Fiona Hawthorne is a Northern Irish artist who lives and works in London.As a freelance illustrator she serves a broad spectrum of both national and international clients. Known for her witty and delicate line-and-wash style, Hawthorne is often commissioned to draw live in situations that range from film shoots and jazz festivals to the Henley Regatta and the tearoom of Harrods.Fiona spent a year as the first artist-in-residence to London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, capturing the epic adventure of a world-famous company on the move. This work, which took viewers from from the grandeur of performance to the most intimate moments of a hectic life, culminated in a solo exhibition at London's Royal Festival Hall.Working mainly on computer, Fiona is also part of the Digital Creators, a group of artists who perform live at special venues around the world. As these artists paint on computer, their works are projected in real time on sixty-foot screens.Hawthorne's digital projects are often reproduced at equally large sizes. They include a series of busy street-life murals for an interactive exhibition in the new Hong Kong Telecom headquarters; a huge portrait of a concert orchestra for the side of an articulated lorry; and the corporate art for HSA's new head office in Andover, England.Hawthorne's 2003 exhibition at London's Royal Brompton Hospital was opened by the world-renowned heart specialist Sir Magdi Yocoub. It featured a unique series of sketches drawn on site around Kensington Palace during the days of spontaneous grief that followed the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. This unique exhibit raised several thousand pounds for the Chain Of Hope charity.The artist's work has been profiled in Jeremy Sutton's Painter Creative Techniques (Hayden/MacMillan) as well as in Thames and Hudson's best-selling art book Design After Dark. The artist was also commissioned to illustrate Thames and Hudson's 2003 Jennifer D'Abo At Home. In the latter, Hawthorne's stylish and economic drawings capture the world of entertaining. Her innovative work introducing children to digital art has also been featured in Britain's Guardian newspaper.Hawthorne is married to film and television actor Colin Salmon and they have four young children.