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Stephanie Shimerdla

Newt from Aliens looks out in fear
Bioshock's Elizabeth looks worried.
A woman with a corset and a robotic arm stands close to a well dressed man.
 woman with long dark hair and pointed ears ponders.
A young woman summons a creature made of lava.

Once thought the bane of fine literature, science fiction has slowly seeped into the collective consciousness of the world, thanks in part to the success movies and videogames in the genre has enjoyed. Stephanie Shimerdla is also doing her part to reflect this renaissance in her illustrative works, with an emphasis on feminine heroism.

She’s created portraits of two young ladies who are arguably the true heroes of their stories. Both scrappy survivor Newt from Aliens and Bioshock’s damsel in distress Elizabeth were the primary drivers of their collective narratives. Without either, there would be no action or adventure. Perhaps this is even why Ms. Shimerdla was drawn to them as subjects.

Even the relatively modern cyberpunk subgenre is proudly represented within Stephanie’s oeuvre. You may even find she has made the occasional break completely from science fiction into pure fantasy, but even this sidestep is somehow understandable as a logical extension of her interests. Whatever the theme, Stephanie’s visions are compelling, fantastical… and at least a little bit real.

Written by in May of 2017. Last edited May 2017.

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  • Al - May 22nd, 2017 at 9:34 am

    She is a very talented lady. Been watching her work for years.

  • Kathy - May 22nd, 2017 at 4:14 pm

    She is an extremely talented artist. Love her work.

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