About Mimi

Anne Mimi Sammis

Anne Mimi Sammis

Learn more about Mimi

Mimi Sammis believes that art depicting love and joy has a positive effect on its viewers, and her work is full of joy, creativity and the appreciation of nature. Her artwork brings peace to those who view it, and this brings Mimi closer to accomplishing her goal of inspiring peace in the world. Tsunami of Love is one of Mimi’s latest inspirations.

Mimi Sammis began painting landscapes in watercolor. She discovered joy in creating bronze sculptures. Her sculpture pieces range in size from one to twenty-two feet and are exhibited throughout the world. Some of her exhibitions include the United Nations, The Hague, the Arles Museum and the American Embassy in Paris. She has work in many private residences around the world, and she has served on the national committee for the performing arts. Mimi has a touching, larger-than-life size sculpture of her five grandchildren that inspires you to love the children. On May 20th, 2018, Mimi received an honorary PhD from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island.

Sculpting Peace

A PBS® Special about Mimi Sammis

Mimi’s sculptures are a celebration of life and the human spirit. The influence of Rodin and Degas can be seen in the solidity of her work, yet her sense of balance and movement is unique. Learn more about Mimi’s process and inspiration in the PBS documentary about Mimi called Sculpting Peace.

"Anne Mimi Sammis' sculpture embraces a form of peace, the inherent goodness and readiness of love and acceptance in humankind. Mimi’s art makes us all wish for a continuation of the UN’s mission of peace in every nook and cranny of this world." - Agnes Gund, President of the Museum of Modern Art, New York

"The creative energy that Mimi Sammis finds in the process of bronze casting is reflected in her exuberant yet graceful figurative sculptures. Whether they are dancing with abandon or reaching for the heavens, Sammis's human forms express a freedom of movement that becomes a metaphor for the artist's spiritual convictions." - Nancy Whipple Grinnell, Curator Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI

Anne Mimi Sammis

One Thousand Years of Peace Exhibition

One Thousand Years of Peace exhibition of 30 bronze sculptures was first shown at the United Nations in 1999, and latter at The Hague, Netherlands.

In the words of Dr. Robert Muller, Chancellor of the United Nations' University of Peace: "Mimi Sammis' work celebrates the miracle of life and the great age-old concepts of love, peace, forgiveness, hope and vision which helps humanity on its mysterious journey in the universe".

Mimi with Queen Elizabeth II

Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee, June 2002

Mimi Sammis with Queen Elizabeth II to view the sculpture "He Has the Whole World in His Hands", commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury to honor Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee. The sculpture is on permanent exhibition at Lambeth Palace, London, home of the Anglican Church. The sculpture depicts the Hand of God holding a globe with dancing figures on the top symbolizing youth bringing peace to the world. The piece was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth for her Golden Jubilee.

Anne Mimi Sammis with Queen Elizabeth II
Rhode Island PBS

Rhode Island PBS Art Series

Mimi Sammis began working with PBS in 2005 when she aired her first series Painting with Mimi. She knows the benefit of the creative process and embraced the opportunity to share her joy in creating art in the 13 episode series, Love to Paint with Mimi in 2009.

Her enthusiasm for art and her informal, wise and witty style has earned her the title, the "Julia Child of Painting". Learn more about Mimi's PBS series

Artist Circle

For the Artist in All of Us

For over fifteen years Mimi has hosted an artist circle in her home every Monday for an hour and a half. Painters, sculptors, writers, dancers, musicians, singers and photographers can all find a haven and support for their creative process in this group setting. Some people enter the group as accomplished artists, but many only have a sense that they would like to create. They may not even know what medium they want to gravitate to.

For Mimi, the artist circle creates a community where her inner child feels safe, supported and free to celebrate creative endeavors. She has seen a reclusive cellist blossom into a confident improvisationalist who performs weekly, and a psychologist who took up writing, painting, and photography in less than one year feel totally liberated. This group is very flexible so people can come to the meetings when they wish, however, the important thing is that the meetings happen consistently each week.



Mimi's most wonderful sculpture expresses so clearly the eternal love of God. The open hand - the tiny globe - the dancing children, depicts the Father's care and the Father's heart.

Mimi is the best art teacher of them all. She really gives you simple and useable ideas for technique, her enthusiasm is infectious and she generously shares her knowledge and experience!

Izzy Goff

Mimi’s enthusiam, energy and her extraordinary talent gave me the confidence to create. I am thoroughly enjoying painting thanks to her.

Sue Hazard

Anne Mimi Sammis' sculpture embraces a form of peace, the inherent goodness and readiness of love and acceptance in humankind. Mimi's art makes us all wish for a continuation of the UN's mission fo peace in every nook and cranny of this world.

Agnes Gund, President The Museum of Modern Art, New York

The creative energy that Mimi Sammis finds in the process of bronze casting is reflected in her exuberant yet graceful figurative sculptures. Whether they are dancing with abandon or reaching for the heavens, Sammis's human forms express a freedom of movement that becomes a metaphor for the artist's spiritual convictions.

Nancy Whipple Grinnell, Curator Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI

Mimi Sammis’s work celebrates the miracle of life and the great age-old concepts of love, peace, forgiveness, hope and vision which helps humanity on its mysterious journey in the universe.

Dr. Robert Muller, Chancellor United Nations’ University of Peace

I sponsor Mimi’s show because I believe that visual art, like music, is an international and global language. Mimi’s method of painting brings enjoyment into our living rooms and an understanding and respect of different cultures. This is where peace begins.

Demaris Ford

Through the wonders of public television, Mimi Sammis brings transformative art lessons to millions of people, filling a much needed educational gap.

Judy Evnin

Mimi’s TV shows fill a great need and gets people in touch with their creativity. With art being cut, the need is greater than ever for our children and people of all ages to be creative for it brings health, peace, joy and a greatly enriched life.

Eleanor and John Sullivan

My husband, daughter and I love watching Mimi’s show; it invites our creativity to bloom.

Tracy Hart

I am 6 years old. I love to watch Mimi paint, and I paint along with her.

Lily Beauchamp

Thinly painted clouds, sky and yellow-green fields; her canvases maintain an austerity and mood of gently realization of nature’s tough, intense beauty.

Art World

...To know Mimi is to love her, and her passion for creativity is utterly infectious. After each studio taping, Mimi had the entire crew convinced that they too, could - and should - go home to paint,...

Maria Saracen

Your sculpture is a wonderful portrayal of peace through human unity. Amazing work!

Dennis J. Kucinich Member of Congress, Ohio

Through the eyes and heart of this wonderful soul, we should all renew our commitment to seek peace in this world. Anne Mimi Sammis is an incredible artist because she is able to project the union between the material and non-material.

Alfredo Sfeir-Younis World Bank

My husband, daughter and I love watching Mimi. I love the way she addresses mistakes, casually wiping away a drip or integrating a mistake with finesse and humor. The show invites our own creativity to bloom.

Tracy Hart

Mimi is an inspirational teacher who unlocked the creativity that is within us all.

A. Richardson

It is my hope that my sculpture touches, inspires, and validates the peace that is within each of us.

Anne Mimi Sammis

My art comes through me when I hold the wax in my hands. The joy, the dance of love between ourselves and others that I feel, comes out in my work.

Anne Mimi Sammis

These pieces are about love of self, love of others, love of God. Any interaction of love between human beings touches me, and I am moved to create.

Anne Mimi Sammis

I feel strongly that love is the healer of everything. When people come into contact with art, if love and joy are represented, the response and interaction with it can raise the consciousness of the world.

Anne Mimi Sammis