Fifi Colston facts for kids

Fifi Colston (born 5 July 1960) is a super creative person from New Zealand. She is a writer, illustrator, and poet. Fifi also designs amazing costumes and props for movies and TV shows. You might have seen her on TV as a presenter too!

She has written or illustrated more than 30 books. Fifi is also famous for her incredible designs in the World of Wearable Art Competition, where she has won many awards. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Fifi Colston's Story

Fifi Colston, whose full name is Fiona, was born in 1960 in York, England. When she was eight years old, in 1968, she moved to New Zealand with her family by ship.

Even as a little kid, Fifi loved art. Her favorite subject at school was art. She used to copy pictures from her favorite book, The Silver Thimble Story Book.

Early Career and TV Work

Fifi studied design at Wellington Polytechnic Design School. She finished her Diploma of Visual Communications Design in 1980. After that, she moved to Christchurch.

For many years, Fifi shared her art and craft ideas on children's TV shows. She was on What Now and the Good Morning Show.

Working in Film and Books

Later, Fifi moved back to Wellington. In 2004, she earned a special degree in scriptwriting from Victoria University of Wellington.

As part of her studies, Fifi worked as a scriptwriter for Weta Workshop. This famous company creates special effects for movies. She worked on the animated TV series Jane and the Dragon.

Fifi also helped with big movies. She worked on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2004. In 2010, she was a costume illustrator for The Hobbit movies. This means she drew ideas for the costumes.

She has illustrated over 30 books for different publishers. Fifi also helps other writers and illustrators. She has been a judge for book awards. She also helps run workshops to teach kids about creative writing, illustrating, and wearable arts.

World of Wearable Art

Since 1995, Fifi has entered the World of Wearable Art (WOW) competition almost every year. This competition is where artists create amazing outfits that are like sculptures you can wear!

Fifi has been a finalist many times. In 2010, her creation called Lady Curiosity won third place in a section of the awards. In 2017, her piece called The Organ Farmer won a special science fiction award.

Many of her incredible designs have been shown at the World of Wearable Art Museum in Nelson. Some of her artworks have even traveled around New Zealand and to other countries in special exhibitions.

Other Creative Projects

In 2018, Fifi took part in The Big Hoot. This was a fun event to raise money for the Child Cancer Foundation. She also won a shoe design competition in 2018 for her "Fantastical Shoe."

Fifi is married and has two grown-up children. She continues to live and work in Wellington, New Zealand.

Awards and Achievements

Fifi Colston's books have won many awards or been recognized as important books for children.

• Her book Glory was a finalist for the Esther Glen Award in 2010.
• Wearable Wonders was a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in 2014. It also won the LIANZA Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Award in 2014.
• Ghoulish Get Ups was a finalist in the New Zealand Children's Book Awards in 2015.
• Torty and the Soldier was a finalist for the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction in 2017.
• Her young adult novel Wild Cards was a finalist for the 2016 Storylines Tessa Duder Award.

In 2019, Fifi was chosen as the University of Otago College of Education / Creative New Zealand Children's Writer in Residence. This means she got a special chance to focus on her writing at the university.