Perceiving Electrical Fields of Flowers in Art & Latent Inhibition

Perceiving Electrical Fields of Flowers in Art & Latent Inhibition

By Stephanie Tihanyi

'The Electric Flamboyant' 2009 - Stephanie Tihanyi (acrylic on canvas 34" x 34") 

New Research 2013

We have recently discovered that bumble bees can detect floral electric fields and learn their presence and structure to inform foraging decisions (Clarke et al. 2013. Science}.

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'Flowers have sophisticated ways of communicating, that until recently were unknown, according to new research by scientists at the Bristol School of Biological Sciences . According to new research lead by, Professor Daniel Robert, "pollinators such as bumble bees are able to find and distinguish electrical signal fields given out by flowers. From their research they reveal, flowers produce bright colors, strong patterns and fragrances to entice their pollinators. Now researchers have found flowers have their own electrical equivalent of a neon sign. They create distinct patterns of electrical signals. Plants are charged negatively, due to being grounded.'

Bees on the other hand require a positive charge, up to 200 volts as they fly through the air; the bumble bee generates this in the hairs of their body. When the bee approaches a flower their electrical signals interact and when the bee leaves, the flowers electrical field is change for some time after. Researchers believe the flower lets the bee know the honest status of it nectar and pollen supplies, and also, how long ago, it was visited by another bee. The flower and the bee share an electrical relationship. It is also shown that electricity boosts flowers other tools too, such as color. Researchers are speculating if it is possible, electrical fields happen when humans and other animals interact with flowers also. 


"When you bend over to sniff a flower, will it change the flowers electrical potential?" - says Professor Daniel Robert (2013).

Bees Can Sense the Electric Fields of Flowers - National Geographic

'Allemande & Honey Bee' 2014 - Stephanie Tihanyi (oil on panel 9.5" x 9.5")

 This pink/white Allemande is backlit by the sun behind it. I have noticed on some plants, (when the sun is low or when they face away from the sun) are illuminated by translucent patches inside, creating a geometric pattern of spots on the inner base of the petals and central stamen. It occurred to me that this arrangement of ’visual signals’ serve to guide the bee, like 'landing lights', to the reward of life-giving pollen within. Bees will forage till late in the evening and it is known that bees cannot see the color red but they can see ultraviolet light, it then seems to make sense that this is a perfect adaption by the flower.
  

For a decade in my artwork I have explored my passionate love of flowers, not only as joyful colorful objects but also on a deeper level, sensing them and viewing in detail how they are made. I began a series of large flower paintings in 2008 and its still an ongoing theme for me. Above, the first image is a painting I did in 2009 of the Flamboyant Tree (Delonix regia ), also known as the Flame Tree. It grows all over my resident island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean  It is one of the most strikingly colorful trees when in flower. The whole tree turns a vivid orange/red that can be seen for miles. Some color varieties range from deep red, orange to yellow.  At a distance the tree is a mass of red color with small dots of white seemingly scattered over it. Many of our island artists have captured this global view of the tree, notably the well known artist Roland Richardson, making it his signature theme. I was more interested a studying single flower clusters as I have always been fascinated by  the details of things.

'Flamboyant Flux' 2012 - Stephanie Tihanyi (acrylic on canvas 22"x 18") 

 After seeing the research posted online in a news article 2013, I emailed Professor Daniel Robert and sent him a picture of the Electric Flamboyant (top of the page). He emailed me back and said he loved it and was delighted and said it was a great illustration to what he was talking about. He asked my permission to use the photo in his lectures and at the university. I said I was very happy for him to do so. The color is what is most striking of course but then you will notice the incredible detail of intricate patterns on the petals made by colors and by the flame-like vein structures. The whole cluster seems to tell you its giving off energy of some sort, that travels along the routes of the veins and is expended out to the ends of the plant, into the environment.

'Study of a Bay Bean' (canavalia rosea)' 
 2008- Stephanie Tihanyi (gouache on paper 9"x 11") 

                                                                                                                            

 Being so highly focused over an extended about of time, you become open to the flowers information, it can feel like the neurons are firing up in your brain, mirroring the flowers energy. Yeah, I know it sounds a bit nuts but that is how it literally feels!. Its hard to explain to folks who don't do that. Lol. I remember when painting the series, people would say, 'you painted a nice picture of flowers, but then you went and put all those lines all over it'. I have a blogger friend, Douglas Eby, who says this is a trait of the Highly Sensitive Personality . Eby M.A./Psychology, he is a writer, researcher and online publisher who has a blog called: The Creative Mind at Psych Central. He has a name for such an states ; latent inhibition.

In his blog post: Highly Sensitive and Creative: Latent Inhibition  he states;
"One technical term for the personality trait of high sensitivity is “sensory processing sensitivity” – One study, for example, found that the brains of creative people appear to be more open to incoming stimuli from the surrounding environment." 

Another Psychologist Elaine Aron, PhD is probably the leading expert on high sensitivity, or more technically, sensitivity.sensory processing.  She writes “About 15 to 20 percent of the population has this trait. It means you are aware of subtleties in your surroundings, a great advantage in many situations. “It also means you are more easily overwhelmed when you have been out in a highly stimulating environment for too long, bombarded by sights and sounds until you are exhausted.”

 Douglas Eby, who has interviewed Aron says, 'As an HSP herself, Aron reassures other Highly Sensitive People that they are quite normal, and that their trait is not a flaw or a syndrome, nor is it a reason to brag. It is just a human asset they can learn to use and protect'.

I find this also to be true, In the act of painting and observing it I feel I am both acutely sensitive to the visual information and stimulation while being intently focused. I allow myself to extend all my senses out as far as they will go. Natural countryside environments and quiet places are the places I feel most at ease to let the senses run free. Urban environments I find too 'noisy' and overwhelming to tolerate for long which is why I don't live in the town or city.