June Mendoza - Portrait Painter to the Stars

There are few people I know with as much energy as portrait painter June Mendoza.

 This is what she is currently up to:

" I am doing a whole wall for the Royal Hospital Chelsea.  There will be at least 50  same size canvases in oils of the, mostly, heads of the Pensioners,----  5 rows of 10    I go there about once a week and have finished about 35.

Have very recently finished Dr David Starkey;  opera singer Felicity Palmer in my ongoing series of musicians;  Valerie Grove, the author/journalist.    These latter three will be in Royal Soc. of Portrait Painters annual in May.

I am currently painting the head of the Inst. of Psychiatry, King's College, Prof. Robin Murray and  a conversation piece of David Mellor Q.C and Lady Cobham.

I am also painting Lord Stewartby [ in tartan trews ] ,Peregrine Massey  full length in costume, with sword, as High Sherrif of Kent"

It makes me feel tired just rteading about it. And the amazing thing about JUne is ashje has been at the top of her profession for an amazingly long time. Doing some research the other day  I cam accross a film reporty from the old Pathe News featuring Jiune painting the portrait of 60's singer and actress Anita Harris. This is a lovely period piece and worth you viewing. You may  have to sit though a short advert first but that's the price we pay for a free to view archive. Anita starts up doing some excercises on a device that was considered high tech in 1966 when this was filmed. Then she does a bit of Judo (like you do) before trolling off to June's studio to have her portrait painted. Delightful. It's hip and goovey and I like it!

Just click on the image blow for the video to start. It will open a new window with the video in it. There is abox in the bottom right hand of the new window which makes the image bigger.

ANITA HARRIS

And here's June filmed last year for her first teaching DVD. Hardly looks a day older does she?  I wish I knew her secret!