Pen Slaney

Pen Slaney is a British figurative painter based in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, whose work draws on the visual language of mid-twentieth century fashion, film, and media to create paintings that are at once nostalgic and entirely contemporary.

Her source material is rooted in the past — archival magazines, classic films, heirloom photography — but her treatment of it is anything but. Beginning with a found or photographed image, Slaney deconstructs and rebuilds it: altering composition, palette, and narrative context; simplifying backgrounds to bring figures forward; layering new detailing and stylisation to construct scenes that are richly her own.

Slaney discovered her love for drawing and painting as a teenager in the UK. After completing a Fine Art foundation year, she went on to attain a Bachelor of Arts with honours in Fashion and Textiles at Nottingham Trent University — a formation that gave her a sophisticated understanding of surface, pattern, colour, and the constructed image.

Following her studies, Slaney relocated to the Netherlands and built a successful career in graphic design and branding. Over time, the pull of painting grew stronger and more insistent, ultimately leading her back to a full-time studio practice.