Born in Swatow, China, and having grown up in Hong Kong, Amy Lee Segami came to U.S. for college. Graduating first in her class with Pi Tau Sigma honors, Ms. Segami earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Aerospace Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology with scholarships she received from NASA and IIT. She is a member of Tau Beta Pi, the honorary engineering fraternity, and was nominated to Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society.

Studying traditional Asian art forms, she learned about the nearly lost tradition of Suminagashi. Suminagashi (Sue-me-nah-gah-she) is an ancient art of flowing ink on the surface of the water, originated in China over 2,000 years ago. Like many traditional art forms, it was passed onto Japan and practiced by Shinto priests in the 12th century. Drawing from her knowledge of physics, she creates laminar and turbulent flow on the same plane. Managing chaos and potential energy, she turns water jet streams and wakes filled with colorful imagery and textures, like those from nature and dreams.

The BBC radio called it a major accomplishment. Crain’s Chicago Business recognized her as the foremost practitioner of the still rare art form and one of the region’s finest leaders in the field. Illinois Institute of Technology presented her with the 1996 Professional Achievement Award. She received the Chicago Outstanding Citizen Award for her extraordinary ability to bring science and art together.

In addition to many private collections, her 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 and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution in New York. One of Ms. Segami’s images was selected by the Illinois Governor’s Office for the commemorative poster for Asian Heritage Month 2000. Her paintings were exhibited from the Harvard campus to the galleries in Sedona, Arizona.

Ms. Segami is credited with transformation of the ancient Suminagashi into a contemporary art of “Painting On Water” through her innovation of arts and science, blending with the culture from the East and the West.

Additional Resources: Amy's  Video Remarks