Norman Gee | Still Learning

Norman Gee presents a new, unseen body of work. For the last two decades, Gee has kept his artwork in his studio, allowing only close friends and family to see his creations. In this exhibition, Gee’s new paintings are inspired by traditional Chinese patterns, landscapes, and abstractions–evidence that at 86, he is still here and still learning.

In 1969, Norman moved to Lawrence, Kansas, from Oakland, California, to teach painting at the University of Kansas. He taught countless students in his 33-year tenure. Upon his retirement, Norman withdrew into his home life and studio practice. Despite not publicly showing his work, Norman has continued to paint and hone his craft–an eternal pupil of his artistic sensibilities. After almost 20 years of not showing his work in public, Norman is “coming out of retirement” to share his new works with the world.

Artist Biography

Norman Hoong Fay Gee was born in 1940 in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood and was raised in Oakland, California. The second child and first son of an American-born mother and immigrant father, Gee studied art at the California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College of the Arts) in Oakland, receiving a B.F.A. in 1965 and his M.F.A. in 1967. His artistic style has evolved from a highly representational, hard-edged aesthetic, often incorporating traditional Chinese imagery, including stylized landscapes and decorative objects such as T’ang Dynasty ceramics and ancient bronze vessels, to a freer, more abstract style, as represented in this exhibition.

In 1965, Gee married Helen Kieko Kokka. Their children, Mikka and Brian, inherited their father’s artistic interests, with Mikka working in art history and museums, and Brian being a talented artist and musician.

Gee is Professor Emeritus of Art at the University of Kansas, having taught in the art department from 1969 to 2002. Since his retirement, he has devoted time not just to painting but to caregiving (caring for his mother, Mae, who passed away in 2010, and his wife, who passed away in 2022); he has a love of cooking, keeping up with Kansas basketball and Chiefs football, and home improvement projects.

Opening Reception: Friday, August 7, 5- 7 p.m