Painter in oil and tempera, originally of representational pictures, later of Constructivist and abstract works; designer and teacher. Born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, as John Cecil Stephenson. In 1906 Stephenson was a student at Darlington Technical College, then from 1908–12 attended Leeds School of Art, the Royal College of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art. In 1919 took over 6 Mall Studios, Hampstead, from Walter Sickert, where he lived until he died. In 1922 Stephenson was appointed head of art, teaching architectural students, at the Northern Polytechnic, London, a post he held until 1955. His first abstract pictures were painted in 1933. Exhibited with 7 & 5 Society in 1934, then during the 1930s was increasingly involved with abstract painting and exhibitions, one picture being reproduced in Circle.