Political Cartoonist Garrick Tremain Dies at 84

Political cartoonist and landscape painter Garrick Tremain has died in Queenstown at the age of 84. Tremain had been fighting a highly aggressive form of cancer known as angiosarcoma, which was diagnosed in 2024 just weeks after the death of his wife, Jill, following six decades of marriage.

Tremain had recently launched his autobiography titled "This is it Then," which he wrote and self-published quickly as his health deteriorated. The book chronicles his life with an emphasis on his decades-long relationship with Jill and their extensive travel experiences. Three doctors had agreed that Tremain had less than six months to live, and he had been granted end of life care.

Tremain's career spanned multiple artistic disciplines. He began as a landscape painter and later transitioned to newspaper cartooning. His editorial work appeared in publications including the Otago Daily Times, The Press, and other newspapers across New Zealand.

His tenure at the Otago Daily Times concluded in 2019 amid significant controversy. A cartoon Tremain created referenced a deadly measles epidemic in Samoa, drawing strong public backlash. Following the incident, both the newspaper and Tremain issued apologies. The ODT's editor suspended Tremain pending a review and subsequently informed him that continuing at the publication would require pre-approval of cartoon topics. Rather than accept these conditions, Tremain resigned from his position at the newspaper.

Tremain's professional journey began differently than his later career path suggests. He initially worked on farms and sheep stations after leaving school, where his drawing abilities first gained attention. He later moved to the city to pursue commercial art in advertising studios, spending a decade working in that field. He eventually decided to combine his artistic talents with his passion for the rural environment by becoming a full-time landscape painter in 1972. In 1988, he added political cartooning to his skillset.

Tremain is survived by his legacy as one of New Zealand's most recognizable and provocative editorial cartoonists, whose work consistently generated significant public discussion and debate throughout his career.