Tyrus Wong ('32) and his father immigrated to the United States from China when he
was nine years old. His high school teachers noticed his artistic ability and arranged
for a summer scholarship at Otis. Wong left junior high to attend Otis as a full-time
student. Wong has worked as a painter, lithographer, muralist, and designer in his
long career.
In 2006, he won an Annie (Asssoc, Internationale du film d'Animation), the most prestigious
award) for lifelong achievement. His lush pastels served as inspiration for Bambi
(1942), and have influenced the art of animation for more than sixty years.
Wong has had a varied career. He was one of the first fine artists to design holiday
cards, and also hand painted pottery for Winfield Pottery in Pasadena. At Disney,
he worked as an inspirational sketch artist (1938-1941). As a film production illustrator
for Warner Brothers (1942-1968), he drew set designs and storyboards for Rebel Without
A Cause, Around the World in Eighty Days, and Harper. His work has been exhibited
at the Chinese American Museum and the Craft and Folk Art Museum in L.A. In recent
years, he has been designing and building kites.