Biography

   Born June Marie Pace, at 5:36 AM Christmas day 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio.  her father’s father Walter, came straight from Warsaw, Poland and her mother’s father, Giovanne, was from Abruzzi in northern/central Italy.

   

    At the age of five, June began learning about art perspective and shape from her father, and drawing the lessons in the art correspondence books that were mailed to him every month.  In 1968, on the winds of the “summer of love”, the Pace family migrated to Los Angeles, where they settled in with her Italian grandfather, who lived above a crystal chandelier shop on Melrose Avenue.  While sitting in the upstairs window and listening to her grandfathers love of opera fill the room, the provocative sounds  and energy of  the  60’s enticed her from the pavement below.  June was to become  part of this culture, of flowers, peace and  love.  These images would later emerge through her writing, singing and finally, her  art.

   

    Today  June  resides  in the mountains of the small coastal community of Santa Cruz, surrounded by giant redwoods and a view of the sparkling, mercurial Monterey Bay.  With San Francisco just a short trip to the north, June’s memories of that time, when the world began to see in color, has brought vibrant and passionate strokes to her canvasses - a direct contrast to the black and white realism from  her earlier success  in  Los Angeles.

At the present, June’s passion lies with storybook illustrations...the Benjamin McTish storybook to be exact.  These whimsical little characters have poured without effort from June’s imagination and her deep love of all things magical and hope filled...she likes happy endings.  A weaver of words, and a true storyteller  at heart, June is working on the literary aspect of this project as well.  So in between painting colorful gnomes on stilts and black and white contemporary art,  she is digging down deep to  uncover the intriguing tale behind these sublimely lovable McTish characters.  She gives a part of every day to focus on her manuscript and finds tremendous joy in this experience, and hopes to continue with this process for the remainder of her life.

  

     Although a true lover of canvas and paint...june felt she needed to further explore the multifarious possibilities of paint, water and texture.  Her knack for taking almost any platform, be it wood, plaster or mdf, and creating a mood has earned her local merit. June’s abilities stretch from accomplishing aged, worn, authentic looking Italian gold leaf crown moldings from a white mdf base, to the waring down of a plain courtyard wall with nothing but paint and water.  She uses recycled old wood for her designs and includes brackets, corbels, and pediments or unusual pieces of wood she finds along her path.   She has hand crafted and designed several mosaic fountains.  Each piece of ceramic was hand cut to fit the design making it a true piece of art.  These talents have earned her featured articles in local magazines and newspapers.     

   

    Whether it be a contemporary edge to an old world Renaissance inspired painting... the colorful tattoo on the arm of a man in a hotrod... or a black and white grinning Jimi Hendrix, popping off the back ground of psychedelic 60’s colors...to an etheric washed watercolor illustration of a fish with a cat’s tail...or putting pen to paper in the age old tradition of storytelling, there is no mistaking June’s passion and soul for creating.

 

Keep your eyes open for June’s black and white photography/art to appear in these pages soon.

To contact June at her studio in Santa Cruz phone 831-227-1016

or simply email, The Art of June > juneart@me.com

The Rock Series is also available for lease.

Commissioned purchases appreciated for all genres of art available from the art of june.

Children’s Illustrations produced for other authors considered, please don’t hesitate to contact with any questions.

Private hire for all interior and courtyard design work available.  Please set up a complementary consultation appointment.

All design projects considered and accepted based on time available.

Benches and Cupboards available for purchase.  Local delivery only, sorry.

Special orders are appreciated.

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