Image
Gordon Gee botanical illustrations
A collection of 296 of Gordon Gee’s watercolour and line illustrations from the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Archives.
Image credit: Gordon Gee, Botanic Garden sign writer. CCL-StarP-01691A
Gordon Gee was employed at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens from 1956 to 1974 as a sign writer. During this time he prepared many thousands of labels for plants throughout the conservatories and grounds of the Botanic Gardens together with descriptive signs depicting plants of special seasonal importance.
His skill as an artist was recognized and he was encouraged to produce drawings and paintings of specimens at the Gardens.
Image credit: Gordon Gee, Botanic Garden sign writer. CCL-StarP-01691A
Gordon Gee was employed at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens from 1956 to 1974 as a sign writer. During this time he prepared many thousands of labels for plants throughout the conservatories and grounds of the Botanic Gardens together with descriptive signs depicting plants of special seasonal importance.
His skill as an artist was recognized and he was encouraged to produce drawings and paintings of specimens at the Gardens.
296
Gordon Gee botanical illustrations
Biographical Note
Gordon McIntyre Gee, born 21 June 1903, and died 1978. Gee worked as a commercial artist in Christchurch, and from 1956 to 1974 worked for the Botanic Gardens, where he created signs, glasshouse labels, watercolour sketches of glasshouse plants, line drawings, and sketched and painted the desert diorama for the Garrick House cacti and succulent collection in the late 1950s. His plant line drawings were used in The Cultivation of New Zealand Trees and Shrubs by Lawrence Metcalf (the Botanic Gardens Assistant Curator).
In the late 1950s, the Director of Reserves described Gordon Gee as "...a commercial artist of over 35 years’ experience, and originally he studied in the Canterbury School of Art... During the twelve months in which he has been employed by the Department his work has given every satisfaction and of his artistic ability there can be no doubt, for when time permits he has been encouraged to do watercolour sketches of some of the rarer glasshouse plants when in flower with a view to building up a collection of such paintings which would be a valuable asset to the Gardens. These illustrations have been very faithfully done."
In the late 1950s, the Director of Reserves described Gordon Gee as "...a commercial artist of over 35 years’ experience, and originally he studied in the Canterbury School of Art... During the twelve months in which he has been employed by the Department his work has given every satisfaction and of his artistic ability there can be no doubt, for when time permits he has been encouraged to do watercolour sketches of some of the rarer glasshouse plants when in flower with a view to building up a collection of such paintings which would be a valuable asset to the Gardens. These illustrations have been very faithfully done."
Linked Agent
Artist (art): Gordon Gee
Member of
CCL:Format
Extent
1 item
Resource Type
© Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Copyright status
In Copyright
Licence Text
This item is in copyright.
Re-use Text
Permission for commercial reuse must be obtained from the Botanic Gardens Collections. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.
Under the Copyright Act 1994 images cannot be copied, shared or reused other than for the purpose of fair dealing. The Copyright Act 1994 allows fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study (e.g. school projects or private family research).
Under the Copyright Act 1994 images cannot be copied, shared or reused other than for the purpose of fair dealing. The Copyright Act 1994 allows fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study (e.g. school projects or private family research).
