BIOGRAPHY
June Nelson was born and raised in industrial South Wales and now lives in Lewes, East Sussex, UK. Following a degree in English from the University of Reading, she worked in academic and educational publishing, alongside which she took art classes, first at Glasgow School of Art, then at the 369 Gallery and studio complex in Edinburgh. When she eventually moved South, she formalised her art making with a degree in Fine Art (Painting) from the University of Brighton. She is now a member of Phoenix Artspace, Brighton, and supports her practice by working at Towner Eastbourne. She works across various mediums but concentrates on drawing and painting. Her installation ‘Cabinet of Imagined Mirrors’, was shown in the Liverpool Biennial Independents 2006; she has twice been shortlisted for the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize. In 2025 she had a solo show at Phoenix Artspace. Brighton, Brighton, and shown two of her “Portraits of Resilience” in Unit 1 Gallery Workshop’s exhibition in London 100/50.
CV
Born Newport, South Wales. Lives and works in Brighton and Lewes, UK
EDUCATION
Turps Hastings Offsite Programme, 2024/25
Fine Art (Painting), BA Hons, University of Brighton, 2001
Modern Art & Modernism, Open University 1988
English, BA Hons, University of Reading, 1978
EXHIBITIONS
2025
Turps Hastings 2025 Exhibition, Rye Creative Centre, Rye
100/50, Unit 1 Gallery Workshop, London
‘Diving Queens: Portraits of Resilience, Phoenix Artspace, Brighton, 5–27 April
2024
Paperworks (group show), Newhaven Project Space,
Newhaven Open, BN1 Marine Workshops,Newhaven
Regenerate, Blue Monkey Network group show, Volt, Eastbourne
2023
Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, UK tour 2023–24
Gallery 207, Lewes, two-person show with Nadine Feinson
2022
Hastings Open, Hastings Museum and Galler,y East Sussex
2021
NU Artists, group exhibition, South St, Lewes
2020
ING Discerning Eye , London (selected by Jo Baring)
2019
‘Technique’, Devonshire Collective, Eastbourne
2018
Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize , UK tour 2018–19
Martyrs Gallery, Summer Salon, Lewes,
2010
East Sussex Open, Towner, Eastbourne
2006
Liverpool Biennial Independents, ‘Near Distance’ – Maze Studio show, Arena Gallery, Liverpool
2004
‘Voyager’, with Brighton’s Maze Studio Group, Abbéville, France, Anglo-French Cultural exchange Sussex & Picardie
‘Voyager II: Lost Highway’, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton, Anglo-French Cultural exchange Sussex & Picardie
‘Present’, group show of alternative printmaking, CBAT, Cardiff
2003
‘Tools for Recognition’ (4 person show) Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
‘Watch this Space’, post-residency show, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
RESIDENCIES
Create Space Wales, Ceredigion, 2021
AA2A Scheme, Kingston University Fine Art Department, 2010–11
‘Watch this Space’ – inaugural residency at Phoenix Gallery, Brighton, 2003
AWARDS & GRANTS
AccessArt ACE-funded '40 Artist Educators', 2014
Arts Council SE funding for building ‘ Cabinet of Imagined Mirrors, Watch this Space Residency, Phoenix, Brighton, 2003
Arts Council SE funding to MAZE studio group for 'Voyager', a collaboration with artists from Picardy, France, 2004