June Mendoza

Born to John Morton, musician and Dot (nee) Mendoza, musician, composer etc.,violin and piano respectively. As a child June toured with her mother - opera, ballet, musicals, revue etc., She worked in small mime parts and crowd scenes with de Basil Russian Ballet Company and sketched during class, rehearsals and performances. By 12 years old, art was the obvious and unquestioned direction and she started life classes at 14.

By 17, June was doing book jackets, magazine illustrations, town-planning, exhibition artwork; record sleeves, some portraits and a monthly illustrated cops, robbers, guns, bosoms, strip! She began professionally as an actress (West End), radio, film, TV etc. until painting/portraiture took over and became her full-time profession.

June married Keith Mackrell, formerly Director Shell International and Non-executive Director for various organisations They have four children: three girls (Elliet, Kim and Lee), and one son (Ashley)

June had two overseas postings with her husband: 1960 - 1965 Philippines and 1969 - 1973 Australia

Story best told by the following list of some works of people in wide variety of fields and countries. These include: Portraits for industry, academia, HM Forces, Medicine, Government ,Theatre, Literature and Sport

• HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
• HM Queen Elizabeth 11
• HRH The Prince of Wales (thrice!)
• HRH The Princess of Wales
• HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
• HRH Princess Anne, the Princess Royal
• HRH The Prince Edward
• His grace the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of England
• Baroness Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister
• The Hon Sir John Gorton, the then Prime Minister of Australia
• Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Prime Minister of Fiji
• Mr Alistair Cooke (broadcaster etc., extraordinaire)
• Miss Bluebell (of Paris Lido)
• Mr Tom Stoppard (Playwright)
• Sir Vivian Fuchs (Antarctic Explorer)
• Sir John Hunt (Everest conqueror)
• Miss Chris Evert and Miss Virginia Wade (Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
• Mr AJP Taylor (legendary historian)
• Dame Ninette de Valois (The Royal Ballet)
• Dame Marie Rambert (Rambert Ballet)
• Lee Kuan Yew (Senior Minister, Singapore)
• Goh Chok Tong (Prime Minister, Singapore)
• Sir John Major
• The Bedser twins (cricket)
• Lord Howe of Abercorn
• Lord Briggs of Lewis (Historian)
• Dame Judi Dench (actress)
• PD James (author)

• Sir Georg Solti
• Dame Joan Sutherland
• Sir Colin Davis
• Yehudi Menuhin (Lord)
• Sir Michael Tippett
• Dr Malcolm Arnold
• Richard Rodney Bennett
• Paul Tortelier
• Cleo Laine and John Dankworth
• James Galway
• Stephane Grappelli
• Dr Anton Dorati
• Sir Charles Mackerras
• Sir Mark Edler
• Dame Emma Kirkby
• Roger Vignobles

• The House of Commons in session (440 portraits) for the House of Commons
• The House of Representatives (170 portraits) for New Parliament Building, Canberra
• The Council of the Royal College of Surgeons (34 portraits)
• The Presidents of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (53 portraits)
• The Court of the Worshipful Company of Barber-Surgeons (120 portraits for their 700th anniversary)
  

At galleries, art institutions and societies in England, USA, Australia and Far Eastern countries "Lectures" are more precisely 'talks' on attitudes, approach, with anecdotes and an informal dualogue with the audience which helps provide relevant material and at audience level and encourages participation.

Art criticisms, feature articles for magazines, and television e.g. a half hour feature combining the painting of a portrait and dialogue with sitter, TV and radio commentary, news interviews etc., radio interviews, exhibition judging and openings.

• Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP)
• Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI)
• Hon Member of Society of Women Artists A.O.
• Officer of Australia Hon.d.Litt - University of Bath
• Hon.d.Litt - Loughborough University
• Hon Doc Open University
• A O officer of Australia
• OBE order of the British Empire

Email this artist: junemendoza@therp.co.uk