All images © June Allan 2009
Ever since I can remember I have always loved drawing and my Mum says I used to sit in my pram and draw!
At 5 years old, I knew that I wanted to be an artist and at about 10, I started keeping a sketchbook. It was always full of drawings of family, friends and cats and dogs. Looking back at these sketchbooks is like looking through a diary - full of people and pIaces I used to know.
When I was at Edinburgh College of Art we drew every day. Starting from plaster casts of Greek statues we progressed from draped life models to life models. I won a drawing prize in my first year and drawing has been important in my art ever since. After graduating in 1971 with a Diploma specializing in Painting and Glass Design, I taught in various secondary schools until 1986, when I started to paint portraits professionally.
I have done portraits of over 350 children and adults in a variety of media, such as pencil, watercolour and mixed media. Recently, I have been drawing sketch portraits of people and their horses and seaside drawings of children.
In 1999, a good friend, the very successful author/illustrator Anna Nilsen suggested that I venture into the field of children's book illustration. Since that time I have had work published by Miles Kelly Publishing, Frances Lincoln Ltd. Floris Books(Edinburgh) Red Wellies Publishing(Cumbria) and Librario. My figurative illustration relies on good drawing and is narrative in style.
I exhibit my seaside drawings at The Heron Gallery, Pittenweem and The Shore Gallery, Aberdour.
I live in Edinburgh with my husband and two children, two guinea pigs, Holly and Fern and lots of goldfish.
June Allan