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San Clemente Journal

Artist Marika Segal - Inspired by the Universe

Dec 27, 2016 11:15AM ● By Anne Batty

Marika Segal

by Anne Batty

As an artist, Marika Segal sees the world differently. She is said to be an intergalactic visionary; one who views the universe and all that is in it - humans, animals, flora, fauna, and spatial entities – as one. And her soft-spoken, pensive manner when speaking about her work; reveals a clear picture of a painter who thinks and feels deeply about the world and all that is in it.
“Much of my inspiration comes from meditation,” Marika shared. “As I observe the things around me an object or thought begins to stand out and as I ponder its place in the universe a painting comes to me.”
Blending humanity with sky-scapes such as stars, planets, and galaxies, Segal uses bold, explosive splashes of acrylic colors on canvas to create her unusual symbolic, spiritual and esoteric concepts.
“I imagine energy when I look at the things around me. Auras, psychic energy fields, surround everything. A kaleidoscope of colors, reds, blues, greens, and violets appear. I begin to see humans and animals as spiritual beings, an integral part of the universe and yet as individuals.”
Early Influences 
Segal’s unique talents were recognized and encouraged at an early age by a mother who embraced a new age philosophy (a range of spiritual beliefs and practices that developed in Western nations during the 1970s). The artists of that era were purported to create art that transcended the physical world to portray a wider vision of awareness and include spiritual or mystical themes. It is this genre that has had much influence on Marika’s work.
During her college years she was interested in fashion, pursuing a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). Upon graduation she began working as a freelance illustrator designing clothing for catalogues and sewing creative merchandise for sale. But in April of 2012, her greatest artistic inspiration came after a trip she, her mom and sister took to Ireland, the place of their ancestry. This visit to her homeland (a place of mythology and folklore) released a wave of energy within her, and upon returning to the U.S. her focus changed as a desire to paint emerged. 
Launching her collection with the painting, The Lonely Creator, portraying a woman holding mankind in her hand, Segal’s work conveys the third eye, the heart chakra (believed by the Hindu Yogic, Shakta and Buddhist tantric traditions to be located in the middle of the body), and exhibits a balancing of the world of matter and spirit. 
Among a multitude of other symbolic creations, another piece illustrates a group of women ascending from a flower amid a shower of cosmic lights; its title For Out of a Flower Comes Beauty. Her image of The Multiverses depicts a large hand scooping sand pebbles from the sea, demonstrating the possibility of more worlds out there than the eye can see. The rendition of Getting Back on the Horse is representative of the ideal of persistence; a time when Marika became re-inspired after an unproductive period; and the illustration, From Where, a portrayal of colorful oval objects floating in the sea, is explained in these words: “Where did such a beautiful yet complex creation come from … that building block which contains all life forms? From the ocean to perhaps originating from a big bang of sorts, the possibilities are endless as to where this complex chain of life began.”
As a past member of the San Clemente Art Association Segal’s painting, The Star King- a magnificent lion - won the sole ribbon awarded in the Public Vote category at their gallery showing. Her work has also been displayed in the 484 Gallery in Laguna Beach, and featured in Awareness and Into the Void magazines. As a guest on Greg Friedman’s KX93.5 radio show Inner Journey, she was asked to tell her story as an artist; and her illustrated children’s e-book, The Who Am I, is currently on Amazon as a Kindle edition.
Going forward Marika plans to continue relying on her instincts as an artist, and when asked how she would like her work to be received by others her response: “I hope people will take away a feeling of immense empowerment and a deep connection within themselves and in their lives when encountering my artwork.” 

View more of Marika Segal’s work at www.marikasegal.com.  
Select Marika Segal’s Art Gallery.