She learned the concept of going for your dreams and never taking
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- Segami is credited with transforming the ancient art of Suminagashi (Sue-me-nah-gah-she) into a contemporary art form.
Amy L. Segami is the nation’s foremost artist of the still-rare art form she calls Painting On Waterâ„¢, which involves applying acrylic paint with a pointed Chinese brush literally to a surface of water.
The image is then lifted off the water surface with a sheet of rice paper. Creating spectacular imagery and textures suggestive of mountain ranges, landscapes, clouds, fireworks, and animals, Segami is credited with transforming the ancient art of Suminagashi (Sue-me-nah-gah-she) into a contemporary art form.
“Her art speaks to all people of all places and time. And that’s the essence of what good art actually is.”
Her distinctive style and unusual medium have won her numerous awards and inclusion in many extremely competitive, juried competitions throughout the United States.
Segami’s works have appeared in magazines, on CD covers and corporate brochures, and are in the permanent collection of the Museum of New Mexico in Santa Fe.
Segami applies science to the nearly lost art of Suminagashi. Using water as her canvas, she paints on the water surface and then transfers the image to paper.
Born in mainland China and raised in Hong Kong, Segami is a former principal engineer and engineering consultant, directing research projects, developing products and solving manufacturing problems for a Fortune 200 company. Immersed in two different cultures, she experienced conflicting pulls. From Eastern traditions, she learned the value of going with the flow, appreciating what you have and honoring the past. From the West, she learned the concept of going for your dreams and never taking “no” for an answer.
Segami is pursuing the American dream and her own passion for meaning and expression. Studying various traditional Asian art forms, she learned about Suminagashi. Reading and experimenting voraciously, she developed her own techniques, utilizing her training in technical fluids engineering. She discovered that by adjusting the viscosity of the water, she could control the movement of the paint and hold the images that she designed. Segami found working with water very calming and soothing, providing a tranquil environment to express a range of emotions and ideas.
Award to Segami, acknowledging her innovative use of her education. The award is commonly reserved for individuals decades older than she. A member of the awards committee remarked her “ability to bring science and art together in a unique art form [that] certainly contributes to the enrichment of mankind.” Her art work has been featured on the cover of the Artists. Outstanding Citizen Award in recognition of her extraordinary ability to bring science and art together. She was a recipient of the CAAP grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs. She has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as the foremost practitioner of the art of Painting On Water,(tm) and one of the region’s finest leaders in the arts. Today’s Woman selected her twice as one of the “One Hundred Women Making A Difference”.
Painting On Waterâ„¢ ranging from original works to limited editions, miniature art plates and gift items. Fine Arts Building, a national historic landmark located in the cultural corridor that has been an artists’ colony for nearly a century.
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