Sunday, July 7, 2013

June Mendoza


June Mendoza seated with her arms around two of her children, Ashley and Lee; Elliet is standing in left foreground. A portrait of all four children is in the background.(Photo from SLV.)


I'm working on a profile and an interview with Australian artist June Mendoza tracing her career from illustrating comics and books in Australia through to working in the English comics industry. After comics Mendoza has had a prominent career as a portrait painter with her many subjects including popular entertainers, politicians and members of the English Royal family. Here's a few samples of her work in comics.

Mendoza was the first artist to illustrate Devil Doone who featured in Australian comics from the 1940's -1970's.








Samples from Belle of Ballet painted for Girl Annual #4, Hulton Press, 1956, under the pseudonym Chris Garvey.



  Diana and Debbie are Dieticians from Girl Annual #9, Longacre Press, 1961.

 Illustration from Girl Annual Annual #9, Longacre Press, 1961.


Grateful thanks to Phil Rushton and Matrix for info on June Mendoza. Thanks to James from ausreprints.com for the Devil Doone scans.