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. 

                                                                 

New update on the current painting; Working in egg/varnish tempera

Stephanie Tihanyi- under painting to current artwork

Here is some new photos of the current painting. Excuse the light, I took it under normal light bulb at night, but I do paint in the day under natural light only. I have working to bring out new highlights on the angels wings and armor as well as the tigers face and plants. I am leaving the face and arm till later as these have to be done with higher sensitivity.

I am going to follow my hero Austrian visionary painter, Ernst Fuchs and try to imitate his use of intense vivid color back grounds. For me it would be a great chance to learn by practice his amazing technique (I have painted the white egg tempera under paint at the top and will continue a little at the sides. Below are two works by Ernst Fuchs

Ernst Fuchs-Angel head on blue background

 

Ernst Fuchs





The Detail Obsessed Artist

The Detail Obsessed Artist

I had a thoroughly absorbing busy day alone in my tiny studio, doing what I love most. Absorbed in that timeless dimension, wandering free in that empire of detail.

Under-painting in egg tempera
and oil on new work -Stephanie Tihanyi

Under-painting on new work
(oil and egg tempera) Stephanie Tihanyi

 I am working on new painting, putting dark lights into the red/gold duo-chrome of the under-painting to gain a sense of depth and relief in the foliage and corner of the angels wings, seen in this detail.

 Next step would be to go over it again high-lighting with the egg-tempera (in the old masters of the Flemish tradition, such as Jan van Eyck), but that's a far off land for now. This ability to endure and even enjoy long hours alone hyper focusing on detailed work is a gift of my aspergers. For all the challenges that being on the autistic spectrum has given me, I would not ever, ever trade it for anything.

Autism, Shame & Society: An insider’s view



The Star-flower Cactus-by Stephanie Tihanyi
(all copyright held by the artist)

Autism, Shame & Society: An insider’s view

Published July 21st 2015 in the St. Maarten newspaper The Daily Herald

 When I was a young teen, a close relative’s child died, leaving behind young sibling, who had just been diagnosed with autism. I remember my father saying, “It was sad, but it was sadder, the wrong one died”. He probably did not mean it, but the time I thought it was cruel and I sensed the shame. I did not know, I too was on the autism spectrum.  This toxic shame permeates society, negatively impacting on the lives of autistic parents, children and adults, in ways far worse than their difference ever could. In an enlightened society, it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. It is through societal attitudes, those of us who are ADHD, dyslexic, or autistic, grow up, learning to feel shame for who we are. Society has perpetuated a culture of fear, shame, and pity around difference, often making it more of a disability than it needs to be. I believe this shame is intentionally and unintentionally manufactured, often by those who profess to care and that discrimination, against the differently abled, is becoming the major cause of injustice and civil rights issues of our time.

I always knew my brain worked very differently, I never knew why. Far from being devastating, being diagnosed was a relief that gave me validation for my experiences. It helped me understand and accept myself enabling me to re-frame my life, in a new positive way. It helped me forgive myself for being ‘stupid’, for being terribly bullied (at home and at school), for being misunderstood, for always struggling to fit in. It answered questions why being social, was always such a mystery and such hard work. It helped me finally come to terms with a lifetime self-blame and low self-esteem. Like many girls on the spectrum, I craved friends but had few or none. I tended to hang on the edge of groups, in order to learn the group’s social behaviors by observation and copying. I learnt to disguise my lack of social skills by being invisible. Like many kids in today’s ‘special education’, I struggled in school, except for art, but art had little merit in school. At 11, I was labeled as ‘a child having below average capabilities’ and was put in the ‘slow-class’ after being bullied. Then one day, I stunned everybody by creating a huge 200 page folder of pressed wild flowers, in my summer holidays, I collected, identified, pressed, catalogued and labeled them with their common and scientific Latin names. People on the spectrum are an odd mixture of strengths and deficits like that. Back then, the ‘slow class’ didn’t mean you got special education or extra support, it meant they left you on your own. I finished school with no qualifications.

 From my teens to my late 20,s, I had such terrible social anxiety and depression. Many jobs, were beyond my ability to cope, because of sensory issues, even talking to others was difficult. Most of my jobs when I wasn't unemployed were in cleaning and washing-up. I had to practice over and over in my head sentences, just to be able to ask for a packet of cigarettes in a store or a bag of fruit at the grocers. It was so hard to get the right words out or intonation in the right order, together with the right body language, without looking totally weird, frightening people or irritating them. I memorized scripts for everything.  Many people on the spectrum do in time develop, abet atypically and later in life.  I eventually got better at engaging with people and even taught myself many subjects I had missed in school, like writing, but art remained my one special passion that I never had to work at. Looking back, I never imagined I would be the person I am now, capable of doing what I do now.

Following my diagnosis, I read a lot, I also talked with other autistic people, read their books, articles, research and blogs. I found a common experience and was stunned by a profound dissonance between how autistic people viewed themselves, their lives and how the rest of society views them, which was shockingly judgmental, negative, inaccurate and unjust.  Right from the start, from the time someone came up with the word ‘autism’ or ‘Asperger’s’, the condition has been judged from the outside, and not from the inside, not as from how it has been experienced. No one really knows autism is, but most in the medical field believe it’s a disorder caused by genetic defects or environmental harm, either way it’s a disease to be cured, that the value of talents attributed to autism, does not outweigh the deficits, and that autistic people and society would be better off if they were not autistic. They see it only in its diagnostic terms, and purely through a deficit model. They use negative words like 'suffers',' disorder', ‘disease’; they make lists of 'symptoms'. Most all their research comes from child studies, even today, adults are an un-researched mystery. The exclusion of adult autistic voices from the process of knowledge production is ethically and epistemologically problematic and has resulted in a horrendous lack of ethics. I see, that society allows the use of stigmatizing and fear-provoking language, to raise money for genetic research for a cure for child autism or even elimination by pre-natal testing

Emotive words are used in 'awareness campaigns like, ‘horror of autism’, ‘epidemic’, 'devastating' describing autistic children as ‘lepers’, ‘lost’, ‘empty’, soulless’ and ‘tragic’,  accumulated in the now infamous, 2009 Autism Speaks video, aimed at drawing funds from big corporate sponsors, shows a small child looking at the camera and a dead zombie-like voice saying:

“I am autism. I have no interest in right or wrong.  I work faster than pediatric AIDS, cancer, and diabetes combined, I will plot to rob you of your children and your dreams….And if you’re happily married, I will make sure that your marriage fails. Your money will fall into my hands, and I will bankrupt you for my own self-gain,” says the video campaign.

These so called ‘charities’, repel all protests and attempts by autistic adults to have any say or voice in policy in their organizations and it’s not hard to see why. This negative and false definition of autism that shapes society’s attitudes of autistics in the 21st century, as ‘scary’, ‘sick’ or tragic’, is being driven by big business at the expense and wellbeing of innocent autistic people and their families. In 2011 of over $314 million that was raised, only 3% went into services support and education and only 1% went into adult services and the rest into genetic research labs.  The biomed movement is no better in its unchecked abuse of ethics in pursuit of funding and the selling of 'cures', many unproven and untested.

The point I make is, the unethical, negative portraying of autistic people, has been successful as a business marketing strategy.  Some of the most extreme Anti-vaccine and anti GMO-crusaders are accused of upping the ante. I have seen the most awful fear-mongering language, shock and awe tactics from this quarter. It’s from this sense of injustice and autistic identification,  I am drawn to defend the wrongful portrayal of all people, who are neuro-diverse. The only way I can do that is to stand up, and speak out, loud and clear.  In the last decade more and more adults from all across the autistic spectrum, across the globe, from all walks of life, scientists, parents, teachers, writers, lawyers, are organizing to advocate for theirs and others human and civil rights. By borrowing lessons from the Black civil rights movement, they are advocating against abuse and discrimination. Best known group is TPGA (Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism) and ASAN (Autistic Self Advocacy Network), both are online.  These are people who see themselves, not a disorder, not broken or inferior, but as a variant within the normal neurological diversity, of the human genome. Their struggles, they attribute to psychological stresses of discrimination, intolerance of their differences, lack of supports and the constant perpetuation of negative myths and stereotyping.   

Sometime ago, I wrote a piece in this paper, trying to correct the many of the myths about people with autism and Asperger’s I had read in it. The false myths of the lack of empathy, lack of conscience, or lack feelings etc are wrong. Recently someone wrote about people with Asperger’s having terrible relationships, of being unimaginative and uncreative. Many people with Asperger’s marry; have children and have long happy relationships, why? Because like everyone else who falls in love, we pick and choose our mates, because they have a combination of positive traits, that are similar to or complement our own. Unimaginative?, uncreative?, I will leave that up to you. . I did not write this as a pity piece, but to inspire others to stand up. To tell them its ok to not let others, who don’t know them, define who they are. So you see the shame of autism, does not come from being autistic, it comes 100% from society. Incidentally, that younger autistic relative went on to university, to major in mathematics and speaks 5 languages.

By coming out, I take that shame and I am giving it back, it never really belonged to me, I don’t need it. Finally at last I can accept myself and like who I am. I will leave you with these words by Wired reporter Steve Silberman, author of 'Neurotribes", who wrote in his book ‘The Forgotten History of Autism: ‘We are still trying to catch up to Hans Asperger, who believed that the cure for the most disabling aspects of autism, is to be found in understanding teachers, accommodating employers, supportive communities, and parents who have faith in their children’s potential.

Stephanie Tihanyi  

 

 

Commissined works: A portrait of Margret

A step by step view of my painting a portrait of Margret, in the manner of the mid-14th, 15th century Renaissance painters known as Mische technique, an oil/egg resin based technique applied to a wood panel.

Portrait of Margret Step 1. The drawing is sketched in a titanium white-egg tempera on the red earth ground, that is painted upon a wooden panel

 
Portrait of Margret Step 2. The painting has been given a glaze of cadium yellow and more titanium white egg/tempera has been worked over the top, correcting and defining more selective highlights


Finished my portrait of Donna's mom, Margret, who sits in the garden surrounded by flowering West Indian cedar trees. Margret comes from Dominican Republic and is partly descended from Arawak (Taino) Indians.




A painting of Margret by Stephanie Tihanyi
(all copyright held by the artist)

Artist Selfie at work

   
A photo from the other week when I was out in the back painting a backdrop for a local dance school Dance Theater of St. Maarten 's recital, 'Dance Till You drop". I make a little money doing local stage and theater painting.

 It was fun to splash and drip with all the colors, as I am usually so meticulous and tight with my work, its great to ease up and splash it around.

My Letter to the Newspaper Autistics are not Pychopaths

Recently I wrote a letter to the newspaper. I felt compelled to write because I needed to correct some statements by a regular writer to the newspaper's opinion page, had made about people with autism/Asperger's. The lady in question often wrote quite nice articles about the helpful practice of mindfulness, which actually I liked to read, however, this time she wrote about people with autism and made the comparison of autism to psychopaths , ' the neurologically disordered' she called us.  Here is my letter:



The Broken- Hearted
 Machine - charcoal sketch by S. Tihanyi
(all copyrights are held by the artist)

An Autistic’s Reply to Mindful Comments by (Name Protected)

"Please allow me a little space in your newspaper to respond to some of the recent comments made by (name protected), about people on the autism spectrum. I give the lady the benefit of the doubt and believe she is compassionate and well-meaning but not aware that some of the facts she, holds are not totally accurate and that their proliferation creates needless fear, stereotyping, avoidance and bullying for autistic people by society. This can cause them shame, lack of self-esteem and depression. I do not intend to bash the lady, but as a high functioning autistic, feel I must set the truth straight, I am also backed up by facts from the very experts she quoted in her article. She states that autistic people, just like everyone else, can have low, medium or high IQ’s and the deficits and gains of both for IQ runs parallel.  Very good. Marriage with a partner on the spectrum can be work and a lot of learning, for both. Yes of course this is correct. The problem is not about their lack of capacity, will or lack of love or caring, its communication. I felt the article was fair but parts were vague and open to misunderstanding, especially the part about the perceived autistic lack of empathy and the comparison to psychopathy. This part troubled me a lot.

I quote the article: “The lack of empathy comes with some neurological disorders, not just autism- the psychopath will derive some pleasure from your pain, but the autistic will wonder what you are complaining about”, Their “(empathy) “needs to be worked on in their youth so that they can learn to reciprocate even if it’s just learnt behavior and does not come from the heart”.

I take issue with this line as it could give the reader the impression that autistics are ingenuous, false, heartless or lacking the capacity for feelings. This terrible perspective has been used to justified all sorts of bullying, discrimination and abuse upon autistic children and adults, whether intentional not, because people believe we don’t have feelings like others. It’s wrong. This misconception came about from early clinical research over the use of the clinical word ‘empathy’. It has been noted by autism experts and attempts have been made to address it over the years but the damage from a misconception around the clinical word “empathy” still lingers, even among some health professionals.

‘Empathy has nothing do to with how the person feels, i.e. whether they feel bad for someone when they are hurting (as in sympathy), love or care about them (unconditional love and altruism). It has to do with understanding the emotional state of another person (cognitive), and responding appropriately.  The ability to recognize the emotional state in another person relies on good communication. Autistics and non-autistics communicate differently. As someone on the autistic spectrum, I can tell you that my difficulties in social situations, have absolutely nothing to do with empathy – chosen or automatic. I quote from an online blog: "When I know someone else is suffering, I can’t help but feel empathy for them. It hurts me inside sometimes so intensely, I am very sensitive, if anything, often, I seem to have more empathy than the average person. Consider this please, if someone told you, in Russian, “I’m sad because my mother died yesterday”, you’ll only feel empathy for their sadness if you understand Russian. If you don’t know Russian, his statement will have no meaning to you and you won’t realize he’s talking about a sad event. For autistic people, nonverbal communication is like a foreign language, and we often don’t understand what it’s conveying. If I don’t realize someone is sad, I won’t show empathy for their sadness. But as soon as they tell me, in a way I understand, I’m sympathetic and feel for them, just as anyone else would. (Whether I’ll know what to do to comfort them is another matter)"
Certainly most parents of autistic kids object strongly to the portrayal of autistics as unfeeling, unloving, and unlovable as well. “Empathy" could be teased into two parts: 1) Awareness-empathy, i.e awareness of other's emotions and well-being, and 2) Caring-empathy, i.e. caring about other people's emotions and well-being. I also quote expert Dr Tony Attwood, who states:

 “I think it is important to explain the misinterpretation of other people’s suggestions of a lack of empathy for people with Asperger’s syndrome. I think there are two factors here, one is that the person with Asperger’s syndrome may not be able to read the subtle signals in another person in facial expression, body language and gesture that would normally be associated with a response of compassion or affection. Thus, if the person with Asperger’s syndrome does not respond with a hug or words of compassion the neurotypical defaults to paranoia and then assumes that the person with Asperger’s syndrome lacks care and empathy. It is not that the person lacks care and empathy it is more that they didn’t/could'nt read the signals or body language. Once the signals are recognized, the person with Asperger’s syndrome can be remarkably kind and supportive.

One of autisms biggest researchers, Dr Simon Baron -Cohen has also attempted to address this misconception that people have, of autism’s lack of empathy being the same as the psychopathic/sociopathic lack of empathy: He says, “I want to return to the subject but with more information on WHY there is a misunderstanding about autistic and sociopathic persons and why popular culture tends to screw up portrayals of both. The key difference seems to be that in psychopaths the 'cognitive' component of empathy is intact but the 'affective' component is not. In autism, both components may be impaired, or just the cognitive component. But their strong systemizing leads them, through powerful logic, to develop a moral code based on 'fairness' and 'justice'. Psychopaths lack the moral compass that most people develop using their empathy, and lack the moral compass that people with autism develop using their strong systemizing. People with autism spectrum conditions often end up as 'super-moral', developing a set of rules they expect people to live up to consistently (such as honesty, fairness, duty), arriving at the conclusion that one should 'treat others as you would have others treat you' because it is the most logical approach. He also adds: In my experience whilst even adults with Asperger Syndrome may have difficulties figuring out why someone else’s remark was considered funny, or why their own remark was considered rude, or may judge others as liars when they simply are inconsistent in not doing what they said they would do, they may nevertheless have a highly developed emotional empathy, caring about how someone feels and not wanting to hurt them. If they do hurt them, it is often unintentional and they feel mortified when it is pointed out, and want to rectify this. In this respect, they do have some of the components of empathy.

Many people with autism also form very strong emotional relationships with their pets, worrying about their welfare, and find that whilst they struggle to ‘read’ human behavior and human intentions, they can read the arguably more predictable behavior of a pet. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the difficulties with the cognitive element of empathy by no means leave people with autism devoid of a moral code, and their strong systemizing can mean that they often end up with a more principled moral code than many people without autism. Thank you."

Walls of Ignorance

Autism Unveiled Project

We don't grow when life is easy, we grow when we have challenges, I like the saying: " Challenges are what make life interesting, overcoming them, is what makes them meaningful"

Autism Unveiled, Voices on the Spectrum
Counting down to World Autism Awareness Day, April 2, 2015

The Autism Unveiled Project is a six-week project where people on the autism spectrum share their uniqueness. The  kick-off was Feb. 18 with blogs by Dr. Stephen Shore, Jennifer O’Toole and Tito Rajarshi Mukhopayday. Each day through April 2, 2015, the Art of Autism will post 2 blogs from people on the spectrum sharing who they are. The people who have chosen to participate share their gifts, their struggles, and their uniqueness.

"Sometimes in life we discover something that changes us and our view of ourselves. To discover that, after so many years of inner confusion, doubt and incomprehension, that there is actually a quantified and measurable reason for why I have struggled to make sense of the social world in the way I have and I am actually not alone.
I have what is known as Asperger’s syndrome, now known as Autism Spectrum or HFA. Learning I have this syndrome has been a huge help in dispelling my lifelong confusion of why other people have the easy ability to do things I cannot, like have an ease and flow in communication between each other, that is often a mystery to me. How I either make people laugh or piss them off, without even ever understanding how; or how I am able to focus on a subject for such long periods of time without getting tired. People that do get to know me, find me smart and at the same time socially clueless. While others may totally misunderstand me or even dislike me because they are phobic of these differences" - Stephanie Tihanyi
 Read the whole article at Art of Autism: Week 6
Stephanie: Visionary artist, over-looked, #Aspergers

The 5Day Art Challenge: Artistic Development



Me, getting an early start Photo- Stephanie Tihanyi
(all copyright held by the artist)

It was begun online, on Facebook by my fellow artists of the Visionary Art community, (this is where we all connect and come together from our far flung and many times obscure places across the globe). The 5 Day Art Challenge. The one (artist) nominated, had to post 3 pictures of their work each day for 5 days. Each day they had to nominate another artist friend to do the same. We had to include work we did years ago, up until where we are now. It was a great exercise for me to frame my development by creating a simple brief timeline. Here it is from my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/stephy.tihanyi





1) The Owl and the Badger-by S. Tihanyi (all copyrights held by the artist)





2) The Broken- Hearted Machine- by S. Tihanyi (all copyrights held by the artist)





3) My Grandmothers Yard- by S. Tihanyi (all copyrights held by the artist)

Feb 19 Day One 5Day Art Challenge: Thank you fellow artist, Dakini for nominating me for the 5 Day are Challenge, where I get to post 3 works, old or new, for 5 days and nominate another artist to do the same. Here are some very early works back when I lived in Luton in the UK. I worked on the assembly line as a welder at Vauxhalls car factory. I welded wheel arches in the day and painted at night. 1988- 1990. 'The Owl & the Badger'- oil on wood, 'The Broken-Hearted Machine'- gouache and dry pastels on paper, 'My Grandmothers Yard, Pecs, Hungary, (with the old walnut tree)- acrylic on board'
Today I nominate Brian Lovebug Joseph to take up the challenge.





1) The Angel & the FireCat- by S.Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)





2) Crown of 12 Suns- by S.Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)

3) The Corn Goddess-by S. Tihanyi 9all copyrights are held by the artist)

20 Feb Day Two: 5Day Art Challenge: Early sketch for a later painting (Angel and the FireCat) -Dry pastels on paper.  'Crown of 12 Suns' -egg tempera on wood panel. 'The Corn Goddess' -black & white sketch on board. These I did before leaving the UK, before 1993. After that, I did not paint for sometime.
Today I nominated : Artist, Quadri Di Gio Curioni




1) The Frigate Birds of Coralitia- by S. Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)






2) The Reef Diver- by S. Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)





3) Kestrel in the Meadow- by S. Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)

21 Feb Day Three: 5Day Art Challenge: When I came to live in the Caribbean in 1993, I lost my connection to my home and found myself an outsider in an emerging country that was forging a nationalistic identity through a shared Caribbean heritage. I struggled with the feeling of being irrelevant and a non-belonger, but I found a place in producing works that studied the outer world of my tropical environment and nature's stunning beauty. 'Frigate birds by Coralitia'-acrylic on canvas, 'The Reed Diver'- oil on canvas, 'The Kestrel in the Meadow'- limited edition linocut print on paper.
For todays challenge, I nominate: Ross Trebilcock





1) Old House in Marigot- by S.Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)





2) Flamboyant Flux- by S.Tihanyi (all copyrights are held by the artist)





3) The Rainbow Tree of Life DNA- by S. Tihanyi
(all copyrights are held by the artist)

 

Feb 22 Day Four: 5Day Art Challenge: Up until 2008-2012, I produced artwork to fit to the conservative, commercial art tastes around me, being told so constantly, that to be successful, I had to do what people want. So I did. Then the 2008 crash happened. Since then and till the present day, art buying dried up more every year, along with the art galleries. Cruise ship tourists grew, but spent rarely on art. It was a blessing in a way, because it made me face the fact I had lost an important part of myself as an artist. I had blocked my artistic development. Through a period of depression, I finally decided to listen to my own voice again and gradually introduced the surreal-ness back into my work, risking the chance of attaining general appeal or local marketability. I decided, I would rather be true to myself even if I never sell another painting again. ' The Old House in Marigot - limited edition linocut print on watercolor paper'. 'Flamboyant Flux' acrylic on canvas, 'The Rainbow Tree of Life'- oil on board.

Today, I nominate artist: Lukifer Aurelius

 

1) Dweller Between the Worlds- by S. Tihanyi
(all copyrights are held by the artist)





2) Cup of Abundance- by S.Tihanyi
 (all copyrights are held by the artist)





3) I shall Fear No Evil-by  S. Tihanyi
(all copyrights are held by the artist)

Feb 23 Day Five: 5Day Art Challenge: In 2012, I made a bold step of opening a small art gallery, because all the galleries were disappearing and I had nowhere to show or sell my work, Unfortunately it closed two years later, proving unfeasible. I felt very isolated and alone, partly because of the actual physical reality of working as an artist, but also because of the difference in the aims, objectives and nature of that art. If Visionary art is seen as 'Outstream or off the main by the Mainstream art world, here, its never seen at all. I know most people thought, 'why does she paint that strange stuff, don't she know she has no hope of anyone going to buy it'. Actually, I thought this a lot myself. This loneliness made me begin looking for others like me, others that would accept me. It was such a wonderful thing that through Facebook, I discovered the Visionary Art Tribe. At last, my people! A collective of people stretched out across the globe, a supportive fellowship of artists who have in common, a genuine love of appreciating and making visionary, surreal and spiritual art. These dedicated people are the real counter-current to that which is touted as 'modern art' by the present art establishment. At last, people who understand, what it is I do. Seeing the very high skill level of these artists, I knew I needed to go and study more. That spring of 2014 I went to Austria, Payerbach to learn painting techniques, Old Masters New Visions: http://www.mischtechnikseminars.com/ from the 'masters of mische', Philip Rubinov Jacobson and Mantra Cora. I think its true to say this has had a big effect on my painting and the strengthening of my confidence and vision. 'Dweller between the Worlds'- acrylic on canvas.
'Cup of Abundance'- Mische oil/egg, I shall Fear No Evil'- Mische oil/egg.