The lively brushstrokes of The Cove are evidence of Tyrus Wong's early work with calligraphy, which he was encouraged to explore as a child by his father. Wong is a Chinese American artist who was a member of Eleven Associated, an African American co-op gallery in Los Angeles, in the 1950s. He graduated from Otis Art Institute in 1930 and went on to a successful career as a scenic artist in Hollywood. He is renowned for designing all the background scenes for the Disney film Bambi, as well as working at Warner Bros. and Republic Studios.