preparing for asian arts and culture - may 2022

Written By Laura Beaton

My proposal for the Asian Culture and Artists Trust Conversations with Elders was accepted.  The key element of the proposal was I had to find an Elder from the Asian community that agreed to work with me and share his/her life story and I in turn, I would create a piece of art to be exhibited in a gallery in downtown Toronto in support of Asian Heritage month in May 2022.

I was connected with a wonderful gentleman, Dr. Alan K. Joe, who is an author and retired orthodontist from Sick Kids. As a teenager, Alan Joe immigrated to Canada from China in 1950, seeking life in Gold Mountain - a word Chinese people used to describe Canada because of the gold found in rivers, streams, and where the ‘roads were paved with gold’. Alan K. Joe wrote his memoirs, Of Ox and Unicorn.

I was delighted, shocked, and moved by the story of Mr. Alan K. Joe and his journey throughout China in the 1940s that ultimately led to immigration to Toronto in the 1950. I enjoyed the historical insights this memoir provides of world events and their impact on civilians. Mr. Joe's journey to become a Canadian success in all that matters in family, spirituality, basic human kindness and community service, is truly inspiring.

Right now, I am planning, sketching, and thinking about how to best represent Alan K. Joe’s life on paper. It is a process for which I am grateful.

Of Ox and Unicorn

Laura Beaton

I am a Toronto-born, international award-winning visual fine artist whose work fuses the traditions of Sumi-e, Chinese Brush Painting, and Western mixed media. Through my art, I explore and celebrate the differences and similarities among cultures—particularly Japanese, Chinese, and North American.

Though my roots are in Scottish bagpipes and English tea, a chance encounter with a Chinese brush painting on an antique tea wagon sparked a lifelong artistic journey. That early moment ignited a creative curiosity that led me to explore what it truly means to live, and create, in a multicultural society.

My art honours centuries-old techniques while looking to the future. I transform inks, rice papers, and layered textures into serene, imaginary worlds that are contemporary, yet grounded in tradition. Each piece whispers a quiet declaration: “I Am Canadian.”

Highlights of my career include:

• Election to both the Society of Canadian Artists and the Federation of Canadian Artists

• Multiple national and international awards, including Japan

• Serving as North American President for the International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society, representing artists from eight countries

• Exhibiting in China, with my work held in the permanent collection of the Chinese government

As a non-Asian artist mastering the philosophies and aesthetics of traditional Japanese and Chinese ink art while infusing Canadian narratives, I aim to reimagine tradition, transcend borders, and create space for new perspectives. My practice is a re-wilding of the social graces and an invitation to connect.

https://LauraBeaton.com
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