About the Artist

Signature Member of CWA

 

  Tony Segale has always used creativity as a means of escape. As a young boy, he would spend time lingering in the small art supply section of the local stationery store while his mother continued shopping. It was in that corner that he discovered the Speedball Lettering and Walter Foster How To books, which sparked his early interest in art.

 

  Tony grew up in a home that was not supportive or encouraging of his creative pursuits. Strict rules and discipline made art a private endeavor. He sketched many ideas quietly to himself, though only the inappropriate images were ever discovered and destroyed. Despite the lack of approval, his desire to create remained strong, and he sought to escape his home environment through art. At one point, he took a job in the retail meat trade, believing it to be a reliable employment choice since everyone needs to eat.

 

  In his spare hours, Tony continued doodling and practicing calligraphy, a challenging pursuit for him as a left-handed artist. Encouragement and compliments from friends and acquaintances inspired him to pursue opportunities to paint promotional and seasonal messages and decorations for various business locations. This outdoor art adventure led him to launch a commercial sign business focused exclusively on hand-lettered projects, interior and exterior murals, and specializing in reverse glass gold leaf. Driven by the need to create, Tony embraced the challenges of learning design and developing craftsmanship. Throughout his commercial career, he received several national design awards. However, he reflects that commercial work, produced on demand, often becomes part of a transient collection of yesterday’s newspapers and magazines.

 

  Tony found a new challenge in watercolor, a medium that thrives on design and planning. Through watercolor, he can escape to create work that reflects his preferences, intentions, and visual statements of what he senses “ought to be.” He enjoys painting locations and life forms of California in a style he describes as abstract realism, finding satisfaction in knowing these works have the potential to last for centuries.

 

  Currently, Tony is designing a new body of work that intertwines subjects with lines of letters, combining abstract forms with his brush lettering skills. His intent is not to render legible messages but to create compositions that invite deeper and closer inspection within the artwork and within the viewer. He feels driven to report, inform, tell stories, and record experiences through his own fluid rendering style. After all the knowledge, experiences, and skills he has gained, Tony is now speaking his own visual language.

 

  He welcomes others to join him on his journey and invites them to be among the first to see new collections upon their release. Interested individuals can subscribe to his email newsletter or provide a traditional mailing address for personal contact. It is Tony’s privilege to connect personally with those who appreciate his work.

 

RESUME

2026 California Watercolor Association 57th International Exhibition

Z.L.Feng, Juror of Selection, R. Mike Nichols, Juror of Awards

 

2026 63rd Stockton Art League National Juried Exhibition at the Haggin Museum

Francesca Wilmott, Juror

 

2026 Go With The Flow - 48th Annual Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons Open Exhibition

Jeannie Vodden, Juror

 

2026 Aquarius, Central Coast Watercolor Society Exhibition

Michael Reardon, Juror

 

2025 Aquarius, Central Coast Watercolor Society Exhibition

Keiko Tanabe, Juror

 

2025 Awash With Color - 47th Annual Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons Membership Exhibition

Sandy Delehanty, Juror

 

2024 California Watercolor Association 54th National Exhibition

Carolyn Lord, Juror of Selection

 

2023 Go With the Flow - 45th Annual Open Exhibition, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA

Cynthia Lou, Juror

 

2023 55th Annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition, Transparent Watercolor

Michael Reardon, Juror of Selection

 

2023 Awash With Color - 45th Annual Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons Membership Exhibition

Katherine Lemke Waste, Juror of Awards

 

2023  Dorothy Indelicato 33rd Fine Art Show, Delicato Family Vineyards, Manteca, CA

 

2022 Go With the Flow, 44th Annual Open Exhibition, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA

Michael Reardon, Juror of Selection, Elaine M. Bowers, Juror of Awards

 

2022 60th LODI SPRING ART SHOW, Durst Winery, Lodi, CA

Robin Knowlton, Kam Merzlak, Katherine Lemke Waste, Jurors.

 

2019 59th LODI SPRING ART SHOW, Lange Twins Family Winery & Vineyards, Lodi, CA

Barbara Flaherty, Lisa Cooperman, Maggie Jimenez, Jurors. 

 

2018 58th LODI SPRING ART SHOW, Lange Twins Family Winery & Vineyards, Lodi, CA

Henrietta Sparkman, Tony Natsoulas, David J. Peterson, Jurors.

 

2018 60th JURIED EXHIBITION AT THE HAGGIN MUSEUM, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA

Sabina Turner, Juror.

 

2017 57th LODI SPRING ART SHOW, Lodi Art Center, Lodi, CA

Carolyn Lord, Juror.

 

2016 59th JURIED EXHIBITION AT THE HAGGIN MUSEUM, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA.

Brian Blood, Juror.

 

 

2016 56th LODI SPRING ART SHOW, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA.

Don Hall, Robin Knowlton, Robert-Jean Ray, Jurors.

 

2013 54th LODI SPRING ART SHOW, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA.

Lisa Cooperman, Tina Moore, Jerald Silva, Jurors.

 

2012 NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY 92nd ANNUAL EXHIBITION, San Pedro, CA.

Elaine Daily-Birnbaum, Fran Larsen, Warren Taylor, Jury of Selection.

 

2012 CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR, Sacramento, CA.

Lial A. Jones, Juror.

 

2012 53rd LODI SPRING ART ANNUAL, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA.

Georgia Herrick, Kathrine Lemke Waste, Gary Stutler, Jurors.

 

2012 EXPRESSIONS, Tracy Art League, Tracy, CA.

Carolyn Lord, Juror.

 

2011 WATER+COLOR, California Watercolor Association 42nd National Exhibition, Ross, CA.

Katherine Chang Liu, Juror.

 

2011 EXPRESSIONS! SELECTIONS, GWF Energy & Souza Galleries, Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, Tracy, CA.

Curated by William Wilson.

 

2009 CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR, Sacramento, CA.

Jack Ogden, Juror.

 

2009 50th LODI SPRING ART ANNUAL, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA.

Roland Cheny, Alice Frederichs and Donna Bohlin, Jurors.

 

2008 49th LODI SPRING ART ANNUAL, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA.

Marika Wolfe, Jeri Ross and Mark Emerson, Jurors.

 

2008 ANIMAL HOUSE, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA.

Kara Castro, Juror.

 

AWARDS & HONORS

 

Ida Scneider Memorial Award

2026 Aquarius, Central Coast Watercolor Society Exhibition

 Micahel Reardon, Juror

 

First Place Award

2025 Aquarius, Central Coast Watercolor Society Exhibition

 Keiko Tanabe, Juror

 

Award of Merit

2025 Awash With Color - 47th Annual Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons Membership Exhibition

Sandy Delehanty, Juror of Awards

 

 

Olive Schmid Award

2023 Go With the Flow - 45th Annual Open Exhibition, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA

Cynthia Lou, Juror

 

Combined Merchandise Award

2023 55th Annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition, Transparent Watercolor

Michael Reardon, Juror

 

Award of Excellence

2023 Awash With Color - 45th Annual Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons Membership Exhibition

Katherine Lemke Waste, Juror of Awards

 

First Place - Animals (watercolor), Honorable Mention - Floral (watercolor), Honorable Mention - Other (watercolor)

Dorothy Indelicato 33rd Fine Art Show, Delicato Family Vineyards, Manteca, CA

 

Second Place, Third Place, Watercolor

60th Lodi Spring Art Show, Durst Winery, Lodi, CA

Robin Knowlton, Kam Merzlak, Katherine Lemke Waste, Jurors.

 

Second Place, Watercolor

59th Lodi Spring Art Show, Lange Twins Winery & Vineyards, Lodi, CA

Barbara Flaherty, Lisa Cooperman, Maggie Jimenez, Jurors.

 

Second Place, Third Place & Honorable Mention, Watercolor

58th Lodi Spring Art Show, Lange Twins Family Winery & Vineyards, Lodi, CA

Henrietta Sparkman, Tony Natsoulas, Daivd J. Peterson, Jurors.

 

Second Place, Watercolor,  2018 60th Juried Exhibtion at the Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA

Sabina turner, Juror. 

 

First Place, Watercolor, 57th Lodi Spring Art Show, Lodi Art Center, Lodi, CA, 2017

 Carolyn Lord, Juror.

 

Second Place, Watercolor, Lodi Spring Art Annual, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA, 2012.

Georgia Herrick, Kathrine Lemke Waste, Gary Stutler, Jurors.

 

Third Place, Murals/Supergraphics, Signs of the Times, International Sign Design Contest, 2011.

 

First Place, Murals/Supergraphics, Signs of the Times, International Sign Design Contest, 2010.

 

Award of Excellence, Watercolor, CaIifornia State Fair, Sacramento, CA, 2009.

Jack Ogden, Juror.

 

Award of Merit, Watercolor, CaIifornia State Fair, Sacramento, CA, 2009.

Jack Ogden, Juror.

 

First Place, Water Media, Lodi Spring Art Annual, Woodbridge Winery, Lodi, CA, 2008.

Marika Wolfe, Jeri Ross and Mark Emerson, Jurors.

 

Second Place, Gold Leaf Glass Signs, Signs of the Times, International Sign Design Contest, 2002.

 

First Place, Gold Leaf Glass Signs,

First Place, Gold Leaf Flat Signs,

Honorable Mention, Dimensional Signs, Signs of the Times, International Sign Design Contest, 2001.

 

PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS

 

2022 Mural for the San Joaquin County Historical Society "Pick, Pack & Ship"

 

2022 Mural for the City of Lodi Art in Public Places "Cycles of Suffrage"

 

2011 Issei of Lodi, Series of five 24” x 30” acrylic paintings, Lodi Buddhist Church

 

2010 Mural for the City of Lodi Art in Public Places “Japantown Memories”

 

2008 Mural for the City of Lodi Art in Public Places “Sacramento Street”

 

2007 Mural for the City of Lodi Art in Public Places “PALS”

 

2007 Mural for City of Moose Jaw ‘Walldog Project’, Saskatchewan, Canada “Recognize Inspiration & Dedication”

 

1999 23K Gold Leaf gilding of bear on the Historic Mission Style Arch in Lodi, California

 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

 

2006 Leader / Organizer of Head West Walldogs Mural Project, Lodi, CA

San Joaquin Council of Governments, Eighth Annual Regional Excellence Awards

Regional Gold Award of Excellence In Recognition of the Unique Community Collaboration To Commemorate the City’s History through Murals.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Steve Aust, “2011 International Sign Contest”, Signs of the Times, ST Media Group International Inc., April 2011.

 

Steve Aust, “2010 International Sign Contest”, Signs of the Times, ST Media Group International Inc., April 2010.

 

Sign Gallery 4, St Media Group International Inc., 2004.

 

Tony Segale, “The Bear Essentials”, Signs of the Times, ST Media Group International Inc., April 2002.

 

Steve Aust, “2002 International Sign Contest”, Signs of the Times, ST Media Group International Inc., December 2002.

 

Steve Aust, “2001 International Sign Contest”, Signs of the Times, ST Media Group International Inc., November 2001.