Tyrus Wong

Class Date: November 20th

Location: Your couch! See your weekly e-mail for Zoom link!

Artists in America

This week we’re talking about the life and art of Tyrus Wong. Though he was born in China, his influence in America is undeniable. Before that, let’s look at some background (hilariously, that’s actually a pun) of the time:

1829 - The Smithsonian Institution is established

British scientist James Smithson, though he never stepped foot in America, willed 100,000 pounds (or $500,000) to the United States for the establishment of an Institution dedicated to exploration and science. The Smithosian would be officially established with an act of Congress in 1846 and the first building completed in 1855. The Smithsonian is now commonly known as “America’s Attic) and includes 19 museums, a National Zoo, and more than 142 million items.

1841 - The first wagon train heads for California

On May 1st, the wagon train departed from Independence, Missouri with 69 adults and several children. John Bidwell led 32 people and 9 wagons as they broke off from the main group in Idaho to head into uncharted territory bound for California. Bidwell logged details of the trip in his journal which would later serve as a guide for future wagon trains. Bidwell also later worked for John Sutter and delivered the news of a discovery of gold at Sutter’s mill.

1846 - Elias Howe creates the the sewing machine

Prior to the 1840s a few different inventors had worked on machines meant to replicate the movement done by people to sew. Sewing and mending clothes by hand is a time-intensive and laborious process. The first major patent was filed by Elias Howe in Massachusetts. By 1860, more than 110,000 sewing machines were produced in the United States.

For a great, 13 minute overview of the development of the sewing machine, check out this video here

1870 - Congress grants citizenship to “aliens of African nativity and to persons of African descent”

The 14th Amendment granted birthright citizenship to all those born in the United States, but did not extend to those already here. in an Act of Congress, they extended citizenship to African Americans, but not other non-white persons, effectively excluding Asian immigrants from naturalized citizenship avenues.

1879 - Thomas Edison uses a lightbulb to light a lamp

Though Edison didn’t create the first lightbulb, he did create one that lasted longer than earlier versions and was able to light a lamp with it. To read more about Edison and his contributions to lighting our world, click here: https://www.fi.edu/history-resources/edisons-lightbulb

1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act

The Act explicitly shut off all Chinese immigration (and Chinese citizenship) for the next 60 years. It also set precedent for additional laws that excluded all other Asian immigrants as well.

To watch a minute and a half preview of the PBS episode devoted to exploring the Act, click here: https://youtu.be/-v3_y3EbRIU

To view the the first episode of the PBS show on the Chinese Exclusion Act, click here: https://www.pbs.org/video/chinese-exclusion-act-chapter-1-ie5iod/

1883 - The Brooklyn Bridge opens

Officially opening on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was a marvel of the day. Sightseers rushed to the bridge to stroll hundreds of feet above the East River and take in the views of New York from the highest vantage point at the time. But less than a week after the bridge opening, tragedy struck in the form of a panicked stampede that ultimately killed 12 people and injured hundreds more. To read about the disaster, click here: https://www.thoughtco.com/brooklyn-bridge-disaster-1773696

1889 - The Starry Night

Vincent Van Goh painted one of his most famous paintings in The Starry Night. The painting was inspired by van Goh’s view out the window at his asylum in southern France, where he spent a year seeking relief from his mental illnesses. For a fabulous overview as well as the links to different videos about the painting, you can visit the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) here: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79802

1880 - 1920 - American Impressionism Movement

American painters were inspired and influenced by the French Impressionists. Mary Cassatt became America’s first widely known impressionist. She became close friends with Edgar Degas and often filled her work with vibrant colors. She often depicted mothers with their children.

1904 - Marcus Loew founds Loews Theaters

Marcus Loew founded a chain of theaters that showed short, silent films in storefront locations. He grew the enterprise to include deluxe vaudeville houses and eventually large movie palaces. Loew also founded Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM) in 1924. Loew theaters were the oldest operation theater chain in North America. they eventually merged with AMC in 2006 and the Loew name was phased out in 2017.

1905 - ‘Nickelodeon’ is coined

John and Harry Davis use the term ‘nickelodeon’ when they open a theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They created the name based on the cost of theater entry (a nickel) and the Greek word for theater, ‘odeon’. Nickelodeons soon spread across the country, combining short films with vaudeville acts. By 1907, more than 2 million Americans had visited a nickelodeon. To read more, click here: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-nickelodeon-opens

1923 - Warner Brothers is founded

Both Paramount and Universal movie studios had been founded in 1912, but Warner Brothers became another major player in the 1920s. The 3rd oldest Hollywood studio, it was founded by Jewish immigrants from Poland.

That’s where our timeline leaves us for the week. Tune in to learn more about the period!

Recommended Reading

For kids:

My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy by Guillaume Olive, Zihong He

My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy is a fun and engaging introduction to one of China's most celebrated arts and crafts for kids. Calligraphy—the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush—has been around for thousands of years. In this fun calligraphy-for-kids book, readers will follow along with Mimi, an eigh- year-old, who takes her first steps towards learning this magical art. Dive in, and explore:

The Evolution of Chinese Writing—how Chinese characters first began, thousands of years ago, and how they have evolved
The Order of the Strokes—learn how to write the strokes in the correct order
The Radicals—what are they, and how to unlock their secrets
The Four Treasures of Calligraphy— the four essential tools to get started
Movements and Position—how to master your mind's focus, your breathing and even how to move
The Five Styles of Calligraphy—Zhuan Shu (seal), Li Shu (clerical), Kai Shu (regular), Cao Shu (cursive), and Xing Shu (running)
The Eight Strokes— how to draw the eight strokes; with them, you can write anything
Writing a Character in Calligraphy—create an entire character in calligraphy

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki

Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing--which he loved to do--but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime--and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent--and who changed the world of animation forever.

For Adults:

Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong by Karen Fang

You might not know the name Tyrus Wong, but you probably know some of the images he created, including scenes from the beloved Disney classic Bambi. Yet when he came to this country as a child, Tyrus was an illegal immigrant locked up in an offshore detention center. How did he go on to a long and prosperous career drawing animation cels, storyboards, and greeting cards that shaped the American imagination?

Background Artist shares the inspiring story of Tyrus Wong’s remarkable 106-year life and showcases his wide array of creative work, from the paintings and fine art prints he made working for Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration to the unique handmade kites he designed and flew on the Santa Monica beach. It tells how he came to the United States as a ten-year-old boy in 1920, at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act barred him from legal citizenship. Yet it also shows how Wong found American communities that welcomed him and nurtured his artistic talent. Covering everything from his work as a studio sketch artist for Warner Bros. to the best-selling Christmas cards he designed for Hallmark and other greeting card companies, this book celebrates a multitalented Asian American artist and pioneer.

Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong by Tyrus Wong and Michael Labrie

Water to Paper, Paint to Sky is the first comprehensive retrospective of America’s oldest living artist Tyrus Wong, whose groundbreaking work on Walt Disney’s classic animation film Bambi influenced a generation of leading animators, including John Lasseter, Pete Docter, and Don Hahn. Tyrus Wong’s ability to evoke powerful feeling in his art with simple gestural compositions continues to inspire each new generation of artists, and his influence can still be seen in movies today.

Works Cited

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Newcomen

https://www.historycrunch.com/flying-shuttle-invention-in-the-industrial-revolution.html#/

https://www.britannica.com/technology/sewing-machine

https://www.softschools.com/timelines/industrial_revolution_timeline/40/

https://www.britannica.com/place/California-state/History

https://cal170.library.ca.gov/november-4-1841-first-wagon-train-arrives/

https://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1810.html

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