Kate Beaton Artist Reference

'Katherine Sui Fun Cheung'

During the COP Pecha Kucha presentations today, this image appeared on one of my peers' slides, which had a strong connection with project about Amy Johnson.

Kate Beaton took a degree in history, which is now the main subject in her illustrative career. This piece about Chinese-American aviator, Katherine Sui Fun Cheung. Similar to Johnson, she had a strong drive for adventure and achievement; she was the first Chinese-American woman to receive a commercial flying licence in the United States.

Although I am not presenting my work in a comic strip format or using language within my images, I was inspired by the way that Beaton captured Katherine Sui Fun Cheung's gutsy attitude in a humorous manner with the interaction with other characters, and exaggeration and emphasis on the dominant character herself.

In comparison to my work, I have taken a more sensitive and sophisticated approach to the attitudes of women in the early 20th century, whereas Beaton's approach is more playful and flamboyant in her style of drawing and language used.