SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – For artist Thao Huynh French, checking out her favorite restaurant Minh Ky in City Heights took on a whole new meaning.
It dawned on her one day she wanted to paint a mural on the side of the restaurant. But it would be three years later, with the combination of her vision and funding from San Diego County to get it done.
On Monday, Huynh French officially unveiled it to the public as part of the Lunar Year celebration, allowing her to celebrate her Vietnamese culture while showcasing it through her art.
"I wanted to show the human spirit of the tiger, and when I think of my Mom and Grandma, I think of how fierce they are and what they've been through," she said. "I'm here to share what's beautiful about our culture and where we've been and where we are now to highlight what's amazing about Vietnamese culture why we celebrate it."
She hopes this will shed a spotlight on the community that she believes doesn't get much attention.
"These restaurants they don't know they exist, and their food is incredible," Huynh French said. "They're made by so many people who are so inspiring people who have incredible stories to tell."
And if there's anything she wants people to take away from this mural, it's a feeling of hope, something she believes we all need more of.
"The Lunar New Year is about leaving the bad and the negative from the previous years behind and entering the New Year with hope and happiness and love for each other," she said.
