Brain Painting Made it to Scope NYC 2012 Show

Hi everyone,

I had wondered for years what it would take to be included in a group at show at one of the major art fairs that take place in New York each year.

Well below is a picture of me next to one of my brain paintings that was shown at the chashama booth at the 2012 Scope New York Art Show :-)

Here are pics of other works in the booth:

The artists in the show were selected from a lottery with artists from chashama's space to create program. Those interested in participating were given a 12" x 12" stretched canvas to create what we like.

Do you or someone you know aware of opportunities for submitting or showing my work? Let me know! I look forward to working with you.

Regards,
Michelle

New Painting on the Brain and the Visual Cortex

Brace yourselves for some eye catching work :)

Focusing on our brain and the visual cortex, I introduce you to:

Yet to be Seen

20" x 24"

Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

Got dots?

Our visual cortex is located at the back of our brains and covers both left and right hemispheres. By knowing just that bit of information, I wanted the the angle of the head to be 3/4 profile from the back. I felt that if it was a full view from the back, it may be hard to know how much area the visual cortex covers. In this detail below, you'll see that the visual cortex area of the brain is highlighted with this dense area of reddish dots.

The idea for how to paint this work seemed pretty straight forward...as a color blind test! I couldn't think of a vision painting without connecting it to a vision test of all things. As you can imagine, the painting became a bit hard at times to look at while creating it. You can view some in progress pics and video below.

While there are different types of color blindness and different types of tests for it, I chose to do the painting in the style of the Ishihara Color Vision Charts common for red-green color blindness. Not only are these tests useful, I personally find them fun to do; it's like exercise for our eyes (or at least how I thought of it).

(c) Michelle Hunter

(c) Michelle Hunter

(c) Michelle Hunter

(c) Michelle Hunter

(c) Michelle Hunter

Want to learn more about how our visual cortex works? Visit the Wikipedia on the topic here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_cortex

How about the Ishihara Color Vision Charts? Read more about them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_perception_test

 

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SEE the whole Brain Series so far!!! Check out this particular blog post that will be updated with each completed brain painting! http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2012/02/brain-series.html

'Til next time!

Regards,

Michelle Hunter 

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034

 Facebook Page [facebook.com/hunterart]

 Hunter Art Blog [hunterart.blogspot.com]

 Twitter [@artcoholic]

 LinkedIn [linkedin.com/in/hunterart]

New Painting - The Brain and Smoking, Part 2 [Secondhand Smoke]

Hi Everyone,

The National Institutes of Health released a press release in May 2011 covering their findings on the impact of secondhand smoke on the brain. The article stated that those exposed to secondhand smoke suffer the same impact as those that do smoke. Being around secondhand smoke regularly could create behavioral patterns in the brain that promote smoking. You can read the press release here: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2011/nida-02.htm

With that said, I'm pleased to share with you the follow up painting to
"Brain and Smoking, Part 1"

It Begins: The Brain and Secondhand Smoke  Part 2

20" x 24"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

The smoke beginning to build in the brain represents the start of the brain establishing similar patterns with the brain of someone that smokes regularly. As referenced in the above article by the NIH, those that are about secondhand smoke can develop brain patterns that promote smoking.

This piece is the companion to  "Brain and Smoking, Part 1"

By seeing the two paintings side-by-side, you can the areas that are highlighted in one profile but not the other. For "Brain and Smoking, Part 1" which is on the right, the white outline remains strong around the mouth which is the smoke fumes are mostly inhaled, in addition to the nose. For "It Begins: The Brain and Secondhand Smoke" the white outline is strong around the nose and not the mouth.


What also connects the works is the smoke. The smoke coming from the profile on the right is being inhaled by the profile painting on the left.

As usual, let me know your thoughts and I look forward to sharing my next brain painting with you!

Check out the others works that make up the brain series so far. The works address: being present, caffeine, memory, alcohol, sleep and music. http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2012/02/brain-series.html

Regards,
Michelle

 Facebook Page [facebook.com/hunterart]

Hunter Art Blog [hunterart.blogspot.com]

 Twitter [@artcoholic]

 LinkedIn [linkedin.com/in/hunterart]

The Brain Series

A series illustrating how various parts of our brain impact our behavior and vice versa

This post will be updated with new work. Stay tuned or chose to be notified via email by completing this brief form: http://eepurl.com/OUkJ


Click on the blog links below the images to read more about the work.



All rights reserved (c) Michelle Hunter

Creative commons license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Yet to be Seen (c) 2012 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2012/04/new-painting-on-brain-and-visual-cortex.html

It Begins: The Brain and Secondhand Smoke Part 2 (c) 2012 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-painting-brain-and-smoking-part-2.html#

Brain and Smoking - Part 1 (c) 2012 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-painting-brain-and-smoking-part-1.html

Brain Rhythm (c) 2011 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2011/10/new-brain-painting-brain-rhythm-24x24.html 

Zzzzzzz (Sleep) (c) 2011 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-painting-nap-time.html 

First Aid (c) 2011 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-painting-first-aid.html 

Don't You Remember? (c) 2010 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-painting-dont-you-remember.html 

Caffeine Headache (c) 2010 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2010/10/caffeine-headache.html  

Past, Present, Future or Dreaming  (c) 2010 Michelle Hunter
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-painting-which-image-matches-your.html 

New Painting - The Brain and Smoking, Part 1

If you are a smoker, ever wonder where that "feel good feeling" comes from? My latest painting in my ongoing Brain Series helps describe what's going on.

[Working Title] The Brain and Smoking, Part 1

20" x 24"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

The Brain:
Two chemicals in the brain which influence our mood are triggered when one smokes something with an addictive substance such as cigarettes that have nicotine. Opioids is one feel good chemical which contributes to positive feelings and calming pain. Dopamine is another feel good chemical

The Artistic Process:
Though I usually post in progress pictures, my SD Card suddenly stopped working so I couldn't retrieve the files. Lesson learned to back up more often.


This painting is the first part of a diptych. The second half of this piece is of the brain of a non-smoker's experience with secondhand smoke.

I was working on another brain painting which was more involved before starting this one. That led to me wanting the composition for this one to be simpler and to the point.

And black and white composition, with the brain filled up with smoke was the idea. The areas of the brain that trigger opioids and dopamine and the area of the brain that manages emotions are highlighted with gold.

The composition illustrates that as one inhales cigarette smoke, the nicotine from it begins to trigger the creation of opioids in the brain. That will turn trigger the production of dopamine. Those chemicals send signals to our frontal lobe which generates the feelings of pleasure, smoothing of pain and reward.

Over a long period of time, smoking induces addiction. Drugs like heroin and morphine contain chemicals that create those similar feelings. Source:
http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20041027/smoking-cigarettes-affects-brain-like-heroin )

Check out the others works that make up the brain series so far. The works address: being present, caffeine, memory, alcohol, sleep and music. http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2012/02/brain-series.html

Regards,

Michelle 
Contemporary Artist



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