Confessions Of A Prolific Polymath
On a good day, being a prolific polymath is not easy.
Not only am I driven to create an abundance of art, but I must also create in completely different art categories.
Polymath artist definition:
“A polymath artist is a creator whose expertise, talents, and contributions span multiple disciplines, often combining fine art with science, engineering, music, or mathematics.”
Here I stand, surrounded by the creative diversity of my Northern Michigan studio. Everywhere you look, bursts of different styles and categories of art fill the space.
Years ago, I was warned by experts, “Do not create art outside your category. Become known for only ONE category. Otherwise, you will not succeed as an artist.”
Truly, I tried to heed this wise advice, but the many-sided artist within me simply could not be confined.
My specialties are painting in multiple art categories and combining science with art.
Click book image for details.
Designing with medical and scientific evidence is one of my passions. Today, we have the technology to actually peer into the brain as it responds to art. I am certified in Evidence-Based Design, and I even authored a book exploring the science of happy art.
I got interested years ago when I was on a very popular New York City website that claimed to promote art for health and healing.
Get this—paintings and illustrations of misshapen and horrifically disfigured images, naked human bodies with rolls and rolls of obese body fat, and an abstract of what looked like daggers and dripping blood.
These were all amazing works in their own categories—but nothing I would consider appropriate for eliminating stress or supporting human health recovery.
Here are some paintings designed for happiness. They all quickly sold, and many of them have been included in my book.
In addition to creating art that triggers happy chemicals in our brains, like dopamine, the polymath in me also creates quite a bit of art that evokes fear, shock, and anguish.
Can you imagine recovering from a medical operation and seeing something like this on a wall?
SOLD. The Tempest, “36×48”
Middle Class Anger, 24”x30” (Click the painting for details.)
SOLD. Anguish, 36”x48”
Here are two polymath paintings in action.
The polymath within me not only creates in diverse art categories but also fuses two seemingly unrelated art categories—Abstract Art and Impressionism—into a single canvas, all while delivering a bold, relevant social message.
Both paintings below were selected and featured in international curations. Money-Centered Leadership vs. People-Centered Leadership is in the Fleeting Petals Curation in Paris, France, and the Brambles Curation, also in Paris, France.
Chaos-Centered Leadership vs. Prosperity Leadership is in the Ode To Expressionism Curation, Bruxelles, Belgium; the Between Two Worlds Curation, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; and A fleur de sang Curation, Paris, France.
You can click on the images to see the curations.
Money-Centered Leadership vs. People-Centered Leadership, 30”x40” (Click on the painting to see the curation.)
Chaos Leadership vs. Prosperity Leadership, 30”x40” (Click on the painting to see the curation.)
Few would dare to hang these paintings in a snug living room or tranquil bedroom, yet their bold originality and complex artistry demand attention and spark lingering conversations.
These works are designed to provoke the question, “What kind of leadership do you want?”
