Exploring Neuroscience Through Art: 2014

Hello!

Our brain is as unique to each of us as our fingerprint. Our experiences overtime form a brain that is one-of-a-kind to each of us. Even identical twins do not have the same brain.

With this thought in mind, I wanted this new brain painting to be in the composition of my own fingerprint. The finger I chose to use for this was my thumbprint. What do you think?

Unique Identity

30" x 24"

Acrylic on Canvas
2014 ©Michelle Hunter

IN PROGRESS PHOTOS:

2014 ©Michelle Hunter

View the rest of the Brain Series paintings. Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome!

Michelle Hunter

Exploring Neuroscience Through Art

www.hunterart.com

Hunter Art Blog [hunterart.blogspot.com]

Facebook Page [facebook.com/hunterart]

Twitter [@artcoholic]

Instagram [instagram.com/hunterart]

LinkedIn [linkedin.com/in/hunterart]

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Inking in the #brain. #sciart #science #neuroscience #art #artistsofinstagram #education #artist #brainart #sketchbook #artwork #learning #neuro #artfido

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1uyQkLX

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

I'm at it again. #drawing another #brain #sciart #science #neuroscience #art #artistsofinstagram #education

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1qoDkdh

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Inking for those at #sfn14. Enjoy! #brain #drawing #sciart #science #neuroscience #artistsofinstagram #art #sketching

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1EO5NvW

Friday, November 14, 2014

Starting to ink the #brain #drawing. #sciart #science #sfn14 #neuroscience #artistsofinstagram #art #sketching

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1sMv3uW

Morning #brain #drawing. #sciart #science #neuroscience #artistsofinstagram #art #sketching

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1wxUlhH

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

#Brain article of interest: What Happens To Your Brain When You're Having A Brilliant Idea

From Leadership - Fast Company

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1xsrr5z

Monday, November 10, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Brain's response to threat silenced when we are reminded of being loved and cared for

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/11cQ3oa

Saturday, November 8, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Beautiful online neuroscience learning

From Mind Hacks

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1xqbQ5F

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Why scratching makes you itch more

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1se8Aqy

#Brain article of interest: How Exercise Changes Your Brain To Be Better At Basically Everything

From Leadership - Fast Company

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1DSfnLY

Thursday, October 30, 2014

What in the world am I doing.... Going with the flow. #brain #painting in progress. #art

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1wLuhU1

New #brain #painting underway! #art #science

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1vm51PW

Monday, October 27, 2014

Finished my latest #brain #painting!! Phew! #sciart #neuroscience #science #art

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1txYTIW

#Brain article of interest: How Sugar Affects The Brain

From Farnam Street

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1wvtGHp

Friday, October 24, 2014

#Brain article of interest: If you're over 60, drink up: Alcohol associated with better memory

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/12pKhQg

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Morning #painting working in between the lines #brain #science #sciart #neuroscience #neuroscience

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1rlUlPV

Monday, October 20, 2014

#Brain article of interest: 5 Ways To Upgrade Your Brain Before Lunch

From Leadership - Fast Company

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1t2eXkJ

Friday, October 17, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Scientists find 'hidden brain signatures' of consciousness in vegetative state patients

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1yLleok

Trying to cover up black lines #science #neuroscience #painting #brain #science #art #wip

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1riy6JI

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

#Brain article of interest: How sleep acts as a cleaning system for the brain

From Scope Blog

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/11gkKbS

Friday, October 10, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Healthy lifestyle may cut stroke risk in half for women

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1ECDeCy

#Brain article of interest: Manipulating memory with light

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1xxzDB8

Thursday, October 9, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Mind-controlled prosthetic arms that work in daily life are now a reality

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1CXwfSS

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

#Brain article of interest: MRI technique detects evidence of cognitive decline before symptoms appear

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1v17KD8

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

#Brain article of interest: A glimpse into the 3-D brain: How memories form

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1tvQmRn

Friday, October 3, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Decreased ability to identify odors can predict death: Olfactory dysfunction is a harbinger of mortality

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1vG1pem

#Brain article of interest: Falling asleep: Revealing the point of transition

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1rGW07A

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

#Brain article of interest: What happens in our brain when we unlock a door? Research sheds light on Aprixia condition

From Neuroscience News -- ScienceDaily

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1prH87d

Monday, September 29, 2014

Happy INTERNATIONAL #Coffee Day! #Caffeine #coffeeday

For those of you that are seeking your caffeine (or decaf) fix, you have plenty of company!

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

According to Wikipedia, International Coffee Day is celebrated in Australia, Canada, Scotland, England, Ethiopia, Hungary, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the United States. Other countries around the world may celebrate Coffee Day on a different date.

Note that it's a day to not only enjoy the beverage, but also to appreciate where it comes from. Think about the coffee growers and the benefit of using/purchasing fair trade coffee.

Michelle Hunter

Exploring Neuroscience Through Art

www.hunterart.com

Hunter Art Blog [hunterart.blogspot.com]

Facebook Page [facebook.com/hunterart]

Twitter [@artcoholic]

Instagram [instagram.com/hunterart]

LinkedIn [linkedin.com/in/hunterart]

Thursday, September 25, 2014

#Brain article of interest: People Who Jump From Screen To Screen Have Less Gray Matter In One Brain Region, Study Finds

From Fast Company

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1qv4NTB

#Brain article of interest: The life of a brain, captured by Stanford scientists

From Scope Blog

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1wJLizb

#Brain article of interest: I'm Jason Silva, Host of BrainGames, and This Is How I Work

From Lifehacker

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/Y85f3Q

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

#Brain article of interest: Why our faith in cramming is mistaken

From Mind Hacks

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1vfIHsW

#Brain article of interest: In a human brain, knowing a face and naming it are separate worries

From Scope Blog

Read the full article here-> http://ift.tt/1mfcMc9

Friday, September 19, 2014

What's going on in there?! #brain #art #science www.hunterart.com #tgif #drawing #digitalart

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1BU6pyR

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Working on getting a #yinyang #brain #drawing going with my phone's stylus. #art #science #neuroscience #sciart

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1uLbLJh

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

NEW #Painting : The #Brain and Recoil Sounds

Hey you!

How do you react when you hear an unpleasant sound? For example:

Nails on a chalkboard
Child crying at a high pitch
Metal against glass
Brakes screeching

We usually recoil, maybe even cover our ears. The sounds are so sensitive to us that we physically try to protect ourselves. Well, allow me to introduce my latest brain painting "Cacophony. " The word cacophony means "a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds." Thanks to a good friend for the name suggestion!

The new painting has also been featured on the Scientific American blog!!
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/symbiartic/2014/09/12/cacophony-michelle-hunter


Cacophony 20" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas 2014 ©Michelle Hunter

** NOTE: No chalk was used in the making of this painting. It's all acrylic paint. Cool huh :)

There was an interesting study published in the Journal of Neuroscience conducted by Newcastle University scientists with funding from the Wellcome Trust. The study, "Features versus Feelings: Dissociable Representations of the Acoustic Features and Valence of Aversive Sounds," looked at the interaction between our amygdala (our emotion area of our brains) and our auditory cortex.

I came across this and other articles that referenced this study on recoil sounds published in The Journal of Neuroscience (http://www.jneurosci.org/content/32/41/14184.short). It inspired the painting.

Pink is the amygdala and it plays a large part in our processing of emotions
Blue is the auditory cortex
Yellow is the area of the auditory cortex that handles gauging frequencies. Apparently, sound vibrations of 2,000 to 5,000 Hz are considered to be unpleasant

The article came up with a top 10 list of unpleasant sounds from their research. I included a few of them in the painting, like:
1. Knife on a bottle
2. Chalk on a blackboard
3. Nails on a blackboard
4. Female scream
5. Brakes on a cycle squealing
6. Baby crying

Are there other sounds (PG) that make you cringe?

As always feedback is welcome!! I would love to know your thoughts and recommendations on other brain topics of interest!

IN PROGRESS PHOTOS:

In the below photo, I took a picture of myself holding a pen (because I didn't have chalk) so I can use the photo as reference for painting my hand as you see it in the final painting.