June Black (22 March 1910 – 1 November 2009) was a New Zealand ceramic artist and painter.

Early life

Black was born in Auckland in 1910. Her parents, Lesley and Hermia, emigrated to America when she was six months old. By 1927 her parents' marriage had ended and Hermia, Black and her sister Faith returned to New Zealand to live in Auckland. Black married Robert Frank in 1932 and they moved to Christchurch. She had three children, one tragically lost to cot death.

Education

Black briefly attended Auckland University’s Elam Art School at the age of 16 but it wasn't until 1952 and living in Wellington that she took pottery classes with Helen Mason at the Petone Polytechnic.

Career

Black had a successful career as an artist with her original ceramics and paintings. Her works were shown alongside well known New Zealand artists

Rita Angus Rita Angus (12 March 1908 – 25 January 1970), a New Zealand painter, has a reputation - along with Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston - as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century New Zealand art. She worked primarily in oil and water c ...

and

Colin McCahon Colin John McCahon (; 1August 191927May 1987) was a prominent New Zealand artist whose work over 45 years consisted of various styles, including landscape, figuration, abstraction, and the overlay of painted text. Along with Toss Woollaston and ...

in the 1950s and 60s. She exhibited at the Architectural Centre Gallery in Wellington, Christchurch’s Gallery 91 and New Vision gallery in Auckland. Her work was also exhibited in international shows, including shows held in Washington D.C. and in Australia. She also exhibited in the

New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts (also referred to as the Wellington Art Society) was founded in Wellington in July 1882 as The Fine Arts Association of New Zealand. Founding artists included painters William Beetham (first president of the Ass ...

exhibition ''Academy Women; a century of inspiration.'' This exhibit celebrated 100 years of women's art in New Zealand. Black had a passion for fashion and incorporated this into her artworks. She was a founding member of Ceramics New Zealand. June Black died at the age of 99 on 1 November 2009. Her archives are held at the E H McCormick Research Library,

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand. It has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand and frequently hosts travelling international exhibitions. Set be ...

. Her daughter,

Sheridan Keith Sheridan Keith (born 1942) is a New Zealand author, artist, broadcaster and curator. Life and career Keith was born in Wellington in 1942. She is the daughter of ceramic artist and painter June Black. She studied zoology and English literatu ...

, is a notable New Zealand writer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, June 1910 births 2009 deaths New Zealand women potters New Zealand potters Elam Art School alumni 20th-century ceramists New Zealand ceramicists New Zealand women ceramicists 20th-century New Zealand women artists