Day 13. Tyrus Wong The Artist Behind Disney’s Bambi.
When you picture the soft, misty forests of Disney’s Bambi, you’re actually seeing the genius of Tyrus Wong, a Chinese American artist whose brushwork transformed American animation. While his name went unrecognized for decades, his story is now being rightfully celebrated as one of the great, quiet revolutions in visual storytelling.
“Good painting is not just copying the surface. It’s the artist’s feeling — how he sees something in his own heart.”
— Tyrus Wong
The Visionary Behind Bambi
Tyrus Wong was born in Guangdong, China in 1910, and immigrated to the US as a child, enduring the trauma of the Chinese Exclusion Act and Angel Island immigration station. Despite barriers, his artistic talent quickly emerged.
In the late 1930s, Wong was hired as a background artist at Disney. When production began on Bambi, he submitted atmospheric sketches inspired by classical Chinese landscape painting, using minimal brushstrokes, soft hues, and open space to capture nature’s beauty and mood rather than its exact details. His style was so striking that it became the visual foundation for the entire film.
Though he worked at Disney for only a short time, the visual world of Bambi remains one of the studio’s most iconic — and most enduringly beautiful — artistic achievements.
Beyond Animation
After Disney, Tyrus went on to work for Warner Bros Studios for 26 years, creating storyboards and concept art for films like Rebel Without a Cause. He was also a talented kitemaker, ceramicist, and calligrapher, continuing to create into his 100s.
His artistic life spanned eras and mediums, blending Eastern and Western traditions to leave an unmistakable mark on American pop culture — even if it took decades for his name to be known.
“I don’t hold grudges. It doesn’t do any good. You have to take life the way it is, and live it.”
— Tyrus Wong
Learn More
Discover the incredible story and art of Tyrus Wong:
🎥 Tyrus (2015 documentary, directed by Pamela Tom) — an intimate portrait of his life and work
📖 Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong — exhibition catalog from the Walt Disney Family Museum
🖥️ Walt Disney Family Museum: Tyrus Wong — exhibits and archives
🎨 Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: Tyrus Wong, Dream Maker
Why His Story Matters
Tyrus Wong’s journey reminds us how many Asian and Pacific Islander artists were marginalized in their time — and how their work nonetheless shaped American culture in quiet, powerful ways. His art whispers of resilience, of carrying ancestral wisdom into new forms, and of the beauty that blooms when cultures meet.
By honoring Tyrus, we reclaim the hidden legacies of API artists whose contributions are far too often left out of the story.
Spread the Beauty
Let’s lift up Tyrus Wong’s name, work, and spirit today! ✨🎨🐾
Hashtags: #31DaysOfAPIHeritage #TyrusWong #BambiArtist #APIArtistsMatter #AAPIHistory #AnimationLegend #RepresentationMatters #ChineseAmericanHistory #DreamlikeLandscapes #TyrusTheVisionary
Asian and Pacific Islander heritage is not monolithic. It stretches across dozens of nations, languages, histories, and spiritual traditions. In honoring these figures, we also honor the beautiful plurality of cultures, family traditions, and lived experiences that make up API communities in America.
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