Caleb W.
Chinese Artist born in 2004 and trying to pursue art as her career, bases her art on illustrations to raise awareness for social issues that we normally don’t focus on. She tries to show the public a different view and perspective of her work through her pen and ink, she sometimes also uses acrylic paint and other materials to create her art. Not only does she use her imagination, but she also draws existing animals with a characteristic to represent a mood or relates it to a social issue that is happening now. She tries to stay away from the traditional styles and go for an out-of-the-box theme. She loves to do art because she tends to draw what she has going on in her mind to paper, she brings her dreams and her world of imagination to life.
“Racism Needs to End”
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Food 中药和中餐
Micron, Color Pencils, and Water Color
As the rich history of China traveled with the first batch of Chinese Immigrants to America, food cuisine and the Chinese Medicines came along. This influenced America significantly with the popularity of Chinese food the popularity of Gua Sha and Acupuncture.
Chinatown 唐人街
Micron, Color Pencils, and Water Color
The establishment of Chinatown was an important part for the Chinese immigrants, this was the only place where Chinese immigrants lived and could support each-other.
Shut Up
12”x17”
Copic, Micron, and Posca.
12 十二
The 12 Chinese Zodiacs have slowly been very popular internationally and being able to share her culture with others has always been her goal. When she was growing up her parents always said that everyone is like their zodiac, she’s energetic, smart, and has big years describes her so well just like her zodiac, a monkey. Since this is such a blurry concept and no one knows if it is true, so she put the 12 animals in a science lab as a discovery mission. Through this piece she wants more people to discover more about her culture through a different lens but not lose the rich history.
Peking
The artist is originally from China and has not been able to go back since the Pandemic hit in 2020. She grew up in Beijing, China and the cultural difference has been one of her biggest struggles. She used black and white for the people and buildings because she based all these people and scenes on her memory and her past, and used color for the creatures because in first world countries the struggle between the rich and the poor has always been an issue, she used cats and octopus to illustrate the fact that the rich can always do whatever they want even if it seems impossible since an octopus would never be able to be on the roof of a building.
Chinese Opera 京剧
Micron, Color Pencils, and Water Color
Originally Chinese Opera was all acted by men, even characters that were women. The Artist wanted to use this concept as a man dressed as a woman and trying to act like a woman to mirror her identification as a transgender woman. Where the artist comes from she is not supported by the vast majority, thus, the idea of her faking to be a girl has always troubled her. Using her quintessence of Chinese culture she hopes to transform the stubborn and conservative ideas her family has.
The Railroad Workers 铁路工人
Micron, Color Pencils, and Water Color
The first batch of Chinese immigrants arrived in the United States with low payment but high-risk jobs. Placing bombs and working in harsh environments put their lives in serious danger. Some still use this railroad and have forgotten the people who made it, the workers were forgotten. The artist wanted to use this chance to recognize these forgotten members however none have them has been marked in history.
The Past
14” x 17”
Posca, Watercolor and Micron
This piece illustrates my journey as a transgender woman. The words in the background were derogatory comments I received from when coming out. The character in front represents the pain I have gone through during this process. However, I learnt to embrace my identity and love myself for who I am. This is represented through the bright saturated colors utilized in the piece, which contradicts to the messages and the weeping character
The Streets
17”x14”
Water Color, Micron, Copic, and Color Pencil
I started this piece with the intention of a two-point perspective study. As I continued to work on the piece, it became more stylized and in the end, I decided to incorporate elements that are interesting to me and things that I like, such as the monsters and saturated colors.
The Media
14” h x 17” l x 14”w
Copic, Acrylic. Bristol, Micron, and Color Pencil.
In modern society, there’s a great gap between the rich and the poor. I decided to convey this message through this piece, with the plot centering around a zombie apocalypse. A woman is sitting in a limousine with luxuries and weapons to protect her. Meanwhile, the poor are represented by the zombies suffering outside.
Me Dad Mom
20” x 24”
Acrylic
I was raised in China, and the Chinese zodiac plays a significant role in the culture. I was born in the year of the monkey, whereas both of my parents were born in the year of the pig. The pandemic separated our family, with my father and I residing in the United States, while my mother is still in China. We haven’t seen each other for a long time, so I decided to make a painting of the three of us, but approached it in an abstract manner to express how much I miss our family being together.
Cycle
The pandemic has impacted all of our lives greatly therefore, I wanted to create a piece that expresses my emotions towards the lives that we have lost during this pandemic. I chose to depict a funeral from a distorted perspective because I have never attended a funeral before and the concept of death has always been surreal to me. Where do we go after we pass away? That is the inspiration behind this piece.
Tiger Mom 虎妈
Micron, Charcol, and Chalk
The artist was raised in a very strict family, there is a saying of a tiger mom. Her mother raised her in a way where she had no free time and this was common in China to have a very strict mother.