Grierson, Mary (1912–)

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Grierson, Mary (1912–)

English botanical artist. Name variations: Mary Anderson Grierson. Born Sept 27, 1912, in UK.

Began her long career working as a Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) freelance botanical artist (1940); during WWII, was employed as a military aerial photography interpreter (1940–45); served as a Hunting Surveys Ltd. cartographical draftswoman (1946–60); served as a Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, staff artist (1960–72); particularly interested in endangered species, displayed work at the Royal Society, Linnean Society, British Museum, Royal Horticultural Society and abroad in America, the Netherlands, South Africa and Israel; a frequent visitor to Kauai, illustrated Peter Green's A Hawaiian Florilegium (1996). Published illustrations include Mountain Flowers (A.J. Huxley, 1967) and Orchidaceae (P.F. Hunt, 1974); designed stamps for the "British Flora" series (1967); received the Gold Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society (1966, 1969, 1973) and Linnean Society fellow (1967).