Sami Ali is a modern representational artist who credits her passion for painting to her curious nature and her love of a challenge. A Vietnamese refugee, Sami spent her early years pursuing a medical degree and lived in 5 different states before settling in Alaska, so she learned to be adaptable and find creative outlets for herself. She never shies away from a challenge, so the challenge of alla prima oil painting, especially plein air painting, appealed to her sense of creativity and reward. She works primarily with palette knife and her paintings showcase her textural use of paint and her intuitive sense of color. She is the current American Medical Women’s Association Artist In Residence and the 2023 Kodiak Crab Fest Art Poster Artist.