Chiami Sekine

In Chiami Sekine’s whimsical world, animals are often used to portray human emotions. Chiami uses acrylic paint and oil pastel, along with collaged elements, to create pieces that combine humor and darker emotions.

Chiami is a professional illustrator and fine artist based in New York City. Born and raised in Japan, she began her education in design at the Kanazawa College of Art. After graduation, she worked as a furniture designer and then moved on to illustration and fine art. She received an MFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she studied illustration and fine art. Her artwork combines elements of Japanese pop culture and western abstract painting techniques. Her whimsical paintings of animals and other subjects are shown in United States and Japan.

Chiami has received a number of awards for her work: Society of Illustrators, Creative Quarterly Magazine of the Journal of Art & Design, CMYK Magazine, Northern National Art Competition. She is represented by STUDIO Gallery in San Francisco.