Blending East/West cultures is the intention for the annual race festival artwork. The cloisonné style California bear takes the state animal and gives it an Eastern-inspired illustrative flair to capture the intensity of the competitive events. The black dragon mimics the posture of a maneki-neko (waving cat); the Chinese characters for "California" is in the paddle, the counter of the rectangle is the shape of the state. The 20 design combines Arabic numerals and Chinese calligraphy to create a bilingual design.
Bilingual 20th anniversary design; 20 reads in Chinese as well as Hindu-Arabic numerals
Design and photography
The international races feature designs which are adapted across out-of-home advertisements, social media, merchandise, prizes, and other promotional items.
2018 first place medal and ribbon
Back of medal
Shirt designs
2018 postcard
2018 digital billboard at the base of the Bay Bridge
For 2018, I came up with a design that was Californian yet spoke of roots in East Asia, similar to the local dragon boat scene. Finger wave patterns were illustrated to resemble cloisonné and inserted into the state bear flag.
Dragon boat medal design
First year at Lake Merritt in Oakland design
Dual language 20 year design
15 year anniversary design
Various medals from past years.