Wing Sang Illustration for the Chinese Canadian Museum
I wanted to share more about the three different illustrations of the Wing Sang building I've created with @chinatownwonders for @ccmuseumbc. Built by Yip Sang in 1889, the Wing Sang Building began as a 2-floor structure, visible on the left. The name "Wing Sang" translates to "everlasting" and stands as the oldest structure in Vancouver’s Chinatown. The grand opening of the Chinese Canadian Museum here was on July 1, 2023, marking 100 years since the passing of the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada.
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In 2022, I created a holiday card of the building for the museum to thank its donors and partners. It was a challenging project since I was drawing somewhere I had never been before and was working off photos. Luckily, Larry Chin and Sarah Ling of @chinatownwonders taught me about the history of the building, highlighting the parts that would be featured in the new museum and guided me through the process!
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This year, I created a summer version for postcards and prints in the new gift shop. It was so funny; my Dad heard on Cantonese radio that the first 100 visitors would be gifted a postcard illustrated by Sharon Lam, and he was like, “I know who that is!” He later very proudly sent me a screenshot where I was mentioned in a Chinese news article. When we visited the museum, it was so heartwarming to hear that one of Yip Sang’s descendants, who grew up in the building, loved my illustration and was gifted a print!
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I also drew a third iteration of the Wing Sang building for the museum’s tote bags. Our goal with this minimalist illustration was to create a timeless representation that captures the building's historic essence and bright future. (Please note I do not sell the tote bags; they are only available from the museum gift shop.)
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Make sure you check out the museum and their gift shop (featuring products from tons of local Chinese-Canadian artists)! I’ve also just added the Winter and Summer Wing Sang illustrations to www.artbysharonlam.com! 
