June Zhao

June Zhao is a Sydney-based artist and designer working across drawing, painting, and mixed media. Her practice combines traditional Chinese calligraphy with contemporary art, using playful and experimental approaches to explore form, rhythm, and visual language.

Her interest in art began through years of practicing Chinese calligraphy, where repetition, discipline, and hand movement became part of everyday life. Over time, she began to loosen these structures, allowing calligraphy to move beyond writing and into drawing and abstraction. This shift marked a key moment in her practice, opening space for experimentation and personal interpretation.

Zhao draws inspiration from traditional scripts, ancient characters, and the physical act of writing, as well as from contemporary art and everyday visual experiences. Rather than focusing on meaning or readability, she is interested in how marks feel — how lines move, repeat, pause, or interact with colour and texture.

Her creative process is intuitive and hands-on. She often works with ink, paint, and layered materials, allowing each work to develop through experimentation. Mistakes, overlaps, and unexpected results are welcomed as part of the process, keeping the work open and playful.