This work was completed for the Calgary Chinatown BIA as part of an unpaid student internship. It was a part of Calgary Chinatown Book Launch Event in December 2025.
"The Battle to Save Calgary Chinatown"
Inspired by the French Revolution, I wanted to depict the pain and frustration early Chinese Immigrants had when they arrived in Canada. I chose to go for the sepia vintage colour scheme to fit into the old photo atmosphere. The train railway’s intense labour stood out to me the most from the journal. I depicted the moments the railway Chinese labours for that reason. All the character outfits are based on the early generations the railway workers were wearing at that time.
"Laundries in Chinatown"
Not only railway construction, but also laundry businesses were a huge part of early Chinese immigrants to deal with. The financial struggles and social prejudice early Chinese immigrants had to face were intense. For that reason, I chose deep muted blue to deliver the sadness they had. The tan colour light implies that the immigrants still had hope in their hearts, which made them strive.
"The Taste of Calgary Chinatown"
My goal was to depict the dishes from different Asian countries being all together on the table to create harmony. I tried to put the food mentioned in the journal such as ginger beef, dim sum, and pho. This creation is also to pay homage to Ghibli Studio. I referred to many Ghibli food scenes to create this illustration.
