Kate Hepburn (London, 1947)
Kate Hepburn (1947–2024) was an artist and graphic designer whose decades of work spanned publishing, music, and fine art. Trained at the Central School of Art and the Royal College of Art, she began her career in the culturally vibrant 1960s and 70s, distinguished by her rigorous typography and an adept hand in screen-printing, illustration, and sculpture.
From radical magazine designs of the 1970s to collaborations with major cultural figures and institutions, she created work for musicians such as Pink Floyd, Tina Turner, and U2, as well as for the iconic comedy troupe Monty Python, the Jim Henson Creature Shop, Virgin Radio, UK women photographers, and Alice Through the Looking Glass, among many others. Her distinctive visual language and sustained creative energy ran through some of the most dynamic cultural moments of the late 20th century.
Alongside these collaborations, Hepburn maintained a deeply personal studio practice. Her early airbrushed prints—bold, atmospheric, and widely reproduced—evolved into an enduring exploration of watercolour, which became her most faithful medium from the late 1980s onwards. In 2021, she revisited her roots, proudly reproducing and creating new 1960s-inspired silkscreens, their bold colours evoking the experimental spirit that shaped her work.
Exhibited widely, her work reflects a lifelong dialogue between art and design, marked by experimentation and wit. Through this, she pushed beyond conventional boundaries—both conceptually and visually—opening up new ways of seeing.
“Over more than four decades, this woman’s work has left a distinct mark on contemporary culture—in publishing, comedy, and rock ’n’ roll.”
John L. Walters of Eye Magazine
Contact us for more information.