Thao Huynh French is a San Diego multidisciplinary artist, muralist, and photographer whose public art celebrates underrepresented communities and preserves refugee and immigrant stories. A refugee from Vietnam, she draws on her family’s experiences and Asian American heritage to explore belonging, resilience, and cultural identity. After leaving a corporate career, French turned to art and began working with spray paint in 2018. Her signature peonies symbolize memory, growth, and resilience. Her murals include Year of the Tiger in San Diego’s Little Saigon, honoring the Vietnamese immigrant community. French has led workshops at UC San Diego, Cuyamaca College, and Mesa College, helping students express social justice concerns through art. Her practice also includes photography, archival research, and interactive installations. Working on neighborhood walls and in schools, she sees conversations with community members as an essential part of creating art that reflects and serves them.
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