BIO
Ms. June Xu was born on February 10th, 1984 in Guangzhou, China to parents who were jade sculptors. Surrounded by her parents artistic endeavors and her family members' business ventures, Ms. Xu developed an interest in art and won her first national award in art at the age of nine. After completing elementary and middle school in China, Ms. Xu and her family immigrated to the United States in 2000 through family-based immigration, joining her grandmother and uncles in Houston when she was 16. She graduated from Sharpstown high school and went on to attend University of Houston to pursue a bachelors and Masters in accounting. Transitioning into her diverse professional career, Ms. Xu worked as an accountant, cosmetic sales manager for Christian Dior, and later co-established and managed a dental practice with her husband. Currently, she is living with her husband and two sons and is in the final year of completing her arts degree at the University of Houston. This interview explores June Xu’s journey as an Asian American Artist dedicated to the preservation of Asian American heritage through her cultural exhibitions and historically inspired works. From honoring the legacy of the prominent South Asian Actor Sabu Dastagir to reviving the history of the Song dynasty through her watercolor paintings, Ms. Xu passionately showcases the contribution of the Asian Americans community. Beyond the boundaries of painting, Ms. Xu talks about her involvement in initiatives like the “Next Generation Project” which aim to challenge cultural stereotypes that narrows Asian Americans’ talents to academics discouraging them from pursuing creative paths.