#sciart Working on inking in this #drawing on the #brain and its internal #gps, the #hippocampus! #science #neuroscience #art #newyork #brainart

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Early morning #brain #painting in progress. #sciart #neuroscience #science #art

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Beginning to ink in my #brain and #autism #drawing. #sciart #neuroscience #science

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Working on a #drawing on the #brain and #lying :) Honestly, I am. #science #sciart #neuroscience #art

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OUCH! #Brainfreeze Can be a Real Pain | New #Painting

It's the middle of Summer folks. What do you consume to cool down? Ice cold water, ice cream, cold beer, gelato, etc.

Ever get that painful feeling by your forehead, lasting less than a minute, when you consume these treats too fast? Yes, brain freeze can be painful.

I represented that in my latest Brain Series painting with icicles going into ones forehead. The culprit, ice cream...chocolate ice cream with sprinkles arranged as an image of the brain.

This guy was craving the ice cream, took one big bite, then OUCH! The bite even took out the front part of the brain sprinkles.

[View some pictures of this painting in progress below]

There is a medical term for this phenomenon, sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, don't ask me to pronounce that.


What's going in my head?


Well brain freeze is triggered when something of an extreme temperature touches the roof of your mouth. So with something cold, your body's immediate reaction is to want to warm that area up.

In that effort of blood vessels dilating to warm things back up, it causes inflammation and triggers pain receptors which sends signals through the Trigeminal Nerve to the brain. The Trigeminal Nerve is in charge of the sensations we feel in the face and when doing motions like biting and chewing. The Trigeminal Nerve has branches that go to many parts of the face. Since it is a multipurpose (or multi-use) nerve, the brain mistakenly registers the pain as coming from the forehead instead of the roof of your mouth. Hence, your reaction to experiencing brain freeze which could be grabbing your forehead and wincing in pain.

How to I avoid brain freeze?

Take your time when eating cold things. In case you do get that brain freeze sensation, quick relief would be to warm the roof of your mouth with your tongue.

...now I'm craving ice cream. So I'll leave you with some in progress photos of the painting!

Regards,
Michelle Hunter
Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com

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Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here:http://bit.ly/HunterArtList 
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034) 
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com 
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Sources:
1: http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingsworkfaqs/f/how-brain-freeze-works.htm
2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_nerve

#brain #painting in progress at the home studio space #sciart #art

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Is Your #Brain Being #Honest?

When was the last time you told a lie (small or big)? While you may have had your reasons for doing so, your brain has to put effort in to produce that lie. 

To reflect the ease of being honest, in my brain drawing I simply have the brain, floating. Nothing is going on within it, no specific areas are highlighted or activated, it just is. This is our brain when we're being honest. It is what it is.

However, when telling a lie there are various parts of the brain that need to get to work. Also imagine the effort needed to sustain the lie! Details on that when I do an upcoming drawing on that. BTW, there is a National Tell a Lie Day held on April 4. I'll celebrate honesty over telling a lie any day though.

Regards,
Michelle Hunter
Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com

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Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList 
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034) 
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com 
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Finished my #brain #freeze #painting!! Will unveil soon. #science #sciart #art #neuroscience

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#drawing, #drawing, #drawing :) #art #brain #sciart

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Give your #brain a #hug for National Hug a Friend Day

Hi everyone,

I hope you consider your brain a friend of yours. If so, give it a big hug as my illustration below does.

 

Do you give your friends and/or family a hug when you see them? Well National Hug a Friend Day is an unofficial holiday held on April 26th to celebrate such embraces. In my research so far, I haven’t found out how Hug a Friend Day came in to existence but leave a comment below if you know or if I find something out, I’ll update this post.


The sense of touch can generate two reactions. One is experiencing the touch itself recognizing whether it is rough or smooth, cold, warm, slow, fast, bumpy, etc. The second aspect is the feeling we get from who is touching us. In other words, the feeling one would get from hugging a friend is different than when hugging a crush or someone you don’t like. Have you experienced that difference?


On the surface of our brain is an area known as the Somatosensory Cortex (colored in orange in the above illustration)[1]. Here, the brain maps to all parts of our body which is also visually referred to as a Homunculus[2]. The Somatosensory Cortex, located on the surface of our brain, not only gives us a physical assessment of what is going on (i.e. I feel my fingers touching smooth plastic keyboard keys) but also an emotional component.


There was a study done at the California Institute of Technology exploring the emotional component of touch[3]. Another layer is the feeling of (dis)comfort we feel when we are being touched. While it had been known that the Somatosensory Cortex assesses the physical, it also attaches meaning to the touch. In the study, self-identified heterosexual men were subject to a staff person caressing their leg. However, the men didn’t see who was actually touching their leg as they were in a fMRI machine where two videos were shown. One video was of an attractive woman shown to reach down to touch the male volunteer's leg and the other video was of a man who reached down to touch their leg. The Somatosensory Cortex became active when anticipating the touch.

Hope you won't be creeped out when I reach out to hug you!!!


Regards,


Michelle Hunter
Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com

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Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
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Sources:
1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatosensory_system
2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_homunculus
3: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604155709.htm

Scientific American Image of the week!

Thank you Thank you Thank you to Scientific American contributors Glendon Mellow and Editor Bora Zivkovic for selecting my painting Past, Present, Future or Dreaming as "Image of the Week"!!!!! I'm so excited by the honor!

Check out this post on Scientific American here:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/image-of-the-week/2013/07/02/rubiks-cube-of-the-mind/

Learn more about this particular painting through this blog post which includes in progress pictures:
http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-painting-which-image-matches-your.html  

Regards,

Michelle Hunter
Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com  / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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#Sketched in the arms for the #brain and #hugging #drawing #science #touch #art #workinprogress

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I'm working on a #drawing about the #brain and #touch, specifically #hugging. #Hugs to you! #art #neuroscience #science

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#cheese!!!! :) Working on the face in this #painting #art #brain #pain

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DNA in our Brain BREAK When We Learn Something New!

I certainly didn't expect to discover that in my research!

DNA Day (International DNA Day or World DNA Day) is April 25th and was first commemorated in 2003 and organized by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). It was initially meant to recognize the work of those that published the first paper on the structure of DNA back in 1953 (James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin and colleagues).

First a little bit about the structure of DNA. 

DNA consists of two stands which are anti-parallel to each other which form a spiral formation linked by hydrogen bonds better known as a double-helix. (It's much more technical than that so if you are interested in learning more, start with this Wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_helix).

So what's the interesting thing going on with the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) in our brains? 

Well apparently when we are learning something new, during the learning activity, the DNA in our brain experiences a double-strand break (DSB)... yes our DNA breaks! Yet, after the activity, the DNA re-bonds rather quickly within a 24-hour period. Whew.

Interestingly enough, for those with Alzheimer's or similar mental illness, the break either takes longer to heal or don't heal at all.

But this double-strand break is normal folks. It's a normal part of our brain activity. DSB occurs in various parts of our brain but it is more prevalent in our Dentate Gyrus (necessary for spatial memory-used when you're learning a new physical environment like if you moved to a new city). Our Dentate Gyrus resides deep within our Hippocampus.

Though my drawing focuses in on the Dentate Gyrus area, I included some notes on what we learn as we grow up. The learning of some of these things resides in other parts of our brain, but the same DSB happens there. So I highlighted one of these DSB but note, as mentioned above, DSB occurs in various areas of the brain when we're learning something. Things on the list that do involve spatial memory include learning to drive, ride a bike and swim.

Now go break some DNA stands and keep learning! :)

Feedback is always welcome.

Regards,

Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList 
• Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
• The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
• Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
• Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
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I'm gathering some notes on the #brain and #laughter as I read a couple articles on it. Of course this is for an upcoming brain #drawing :) #funny #neuroscience

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Beginning the exploration if what happens to our #DNA in our Dentate Gyrus when we are #learning somethings new. #brain #neuroscience #drawing #art

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Pictures of "Brain Rhythm" at Austin's Art.Science.Gallery #art #science #brain

Hello there,

Recently, my painting "Brain Rhythm" took its first trip outside of New York to travel to Austin Texas for Art.Science.Gallery's group show called "Join our Evolution".

Through the use of tons of bubble wrap, crumpled newspaper and lots of tape, the painting arrived there and back safely (thank goodness). Below are some pictures of the painting at the show.

It was a great experience and working with the Art.Science.Gallery team was a pleasure, they certainly put me at ease. I look forward to sharing more of my work with them in the future.

© Ian M. Wright

© Ian M. Wright

© Ian M. Wright

Read about the painting "Brain Rhythm" here (http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2011/10/new-brain-painting-brain-rhythm-24x24.html)

Special thank you to Hayley Gillespie, Ph.D. (owner / ecologist / artist | Art.Science.Gallery.) and her team for making the show a success and working closely with the participating artists so the works arrived there and back safely.

Regards,

Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtListContact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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Happy Geek Pride Day!

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Latest Painting: The #Brain and #Depression

Over a year in the making...I'm pleased to announce the completion of my latest brain painting titled "I Want"

I Want

20" x 24"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

While depression was already a topic in my Brain Series queue, starting it was sparked by the death of a good friend who suffered from depression. Finishing it took a good amount of will from me.

What Could I Do?
This experience for me was a shock and got me thinking. We all have ups and downs, yet why do some of us struggle with building ourselves back up during the downturns? Think about how many people you interact with on a regular basis where things seem like they are fine. Perhaps some people you know say that things will be fine and put on a brave face while they may be spiraling downward inside? How would you know that they are going through this internal battle when on the surface, things seem fine-when you probe and show concern but you aren't getting an honest response?

The Composition
The questions above led me to want to have a mask in the composition of the painting. The mask in the painting is of a smiling face while the person is instead feeling detached. Will the person put the mask on and put on an appearance that all is fine or will they or show/express how they really feel?

I wanted the scene to be a social setting and chose a restaurant where people are coming and going or having a meal or drink with the person they are with. Also the large windows show people going about their business, the world doesn't stop for anyone, life goes on.

I ended up painting someone outside the place looking into the restaurant. While I was working on the rest of the painting, I felt fine not painting a face on her. In the end, I chose to leave her without a face. Make of it what you will.

In the painting, I painted the brain as an MRI scan so you can see where the outline of the cortex is (it's the white outline and explained later in the "Research" section below). There are parts of the outline that are thinner than others which is what it could be like for someone suffering from, or likely to develop depression.




Research

My research on the topic lead me to a NY Times article on a study that looked into the family history of depression. Thinning of the cortex appeared to be a trait of those susceptible to developing depression. While there are numerous articles on the topic, this one shaped the angle I approached for the painting. I found it interesting that parents that are depressed could unknowingly pass along traits of the illness to their children. It's still to be determined whether it is passed via genetics or if it is just a byproduct of the children's environment or a combination of both.



Some In Progress Pictures

You're welcome to use any of the means below to let me know what you think. It's important to share and be honest if you are comfortable doing so.


Regards,
Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
Follow on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hunterart
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#Brain Drawing for Foursquare Day!! Our Internal Navigation System

I couldn't help but feature our internal navigation system within our brain, the Hippocampus, on a compass for Foursquare Day. In honor of the app, I also changed the N or North placement on the compass to a Foursquare mayorship symbol, the crown.

Foursquare is useful in letting users know what's around them in terms of places of interest and what's trending. Of course it needs to know where we are to make an accurate list of places so our phone would need its GPS option turned on. Well our brains have an internal GPS as well, so to speak.

 

In the drawing, I have a transparent brain in the center of the compass. The brain is transparent so you can see where the Hippocampus resides. The compass has the usual navigation markers but I changed the North indicator to a Foursquare crown used for when someone gains mayorship of a location. The Hippocampus, in orange in the drawing is emitting signals and pointing towards the crown, or North.

Our Hippocampus is located in the Limbic System of our brain. The components of the Limbic System manage our emotions, memory and sexual arousal. For the purpose of this post, the focus is on our internal navigation system managed by our cool Hippocampus. The Hippocampus is the component in our brain most closely tied to long-term memory formation.

Did you know that there are cells within and around our Hippocampus that map out our place, head direction and grid? 

• When we learn of specific places, destinations or landmarks, our Place cells light up when we come across a place we recognize.
• We have our own internal compass run by our Head Direction cells. It tells us what direction we're facing. So, if you ever have a feeling that you're heading in the right or wrong direction, you may have your Head Direction cells to thank.
• How about when you're on the move either walking, running, biking or driving? Ever think about the distance you may have traveled? Our Grid cells help us to gauge that.

It's awesome how we have systems built within us that help us to get around. So, where will you be heading to today?

Regards,

Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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Source:

1. Wellcome Trust (2008, September 15). The 'Satellite Navigation' In Our Brains. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/Media-office/Press-releases/2008/WTX050443.htm

#Brain Drawing for World #Autism Day

April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day.

In my research, I didn't realize that there were different types of autism. The variations are referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). The disease is 4x more likely to effect boys than girls. Scientists are continuing to explore the cause of the disease and treatments.

Autism is loosely described as faulty wiring in the brain. Experiences could include only being able to really experience one sense at a time, like smell or hearing, and it could at times be unbearable. Also there are communicative challenges that are verbal and nonverbal. Irritability or outbursts exhibited by a person with autism is an expression of their frustration with not being able to communicate effectively, if at all. Symptoms also include emotional detachment and repetitive behaviors. Those are only a few behaviors common for those with autism.

The below brain drawing is meant to visualize the inability to sync signals in the brain.

 

For the drawing, I represented that as a plug and an outlet. For the normal brain, the front and back parts of our brain work instantly and simultaneously together. So the plug would be properly positioned to go into the outlet-making a connection so that information could be transferred throughout the rest of the brain. 

However, the brain of someone with autism has faulty wiring which prohibits neurotransmitters, or messages, to be sent and processed through the brain. That is shown here in the drawing where from the front of the brain, the prongs of a plugs are not in the correction position to go into the outlet that is bringing messages from the back of the brain.

Also, there are particular areas of the brain that are effected by abnormalities compared to someone without autism:

• The long blue shape between the plug and outlet is the Corpus Callosum. This structure facilitates the communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. 
• Below the plug is the Amygdala. The amygdala affects social behavior and emotion.
• Beneath the brain is the Cerebellum. Abilities like balance, coordination and motor ability are controlled here.

Enjoy your day :)

Regards,
Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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Sources:

1. Hamilton, Jon, "What's Different About The Brains of People With Autism?" npr.org, June 4 2012

2. Watson, Stephanie, "Discovery Health "What is autism?"" www.health.howstuffworks.com

How Dehydrated are You? The #Brain and World #Water Day

Did you know that we are losing water with each breath we take? When sweating or eliminating waste, it may be more obvious. We're constantly losing water, the essential fuel for our bodies but more importantly our brains run on. So if you notice that you usually feel afternoon fatigue, have sleep issues, focus issues, depressed...those are symptoms of dehydration (though see a doctor if you feel there is something else going on).

For World Water Day, I've done a drawing illustrating several important points between water and our brains:

• Our brain is 85% water and will begin to shrink when it becomes dehydrated. When we wake up after we sleep, our brains are already dehydrated. DEHYDRATION SHRINKS YOUR GREY MATTER! Breathing through the night is the longest stretch of time we don't replenish ourselves. One-percent of dehydration leads to 5% shortage of cognitive function. So drink a glass of water when you get up.
• In my drawing, I show that by the right side of the brain image looking rock like. It's dried up and needs water to bring it back to full capacity. The water being poured into the back party of the brain is being quickly absorbed.

• Drinking water on a regular basis helps to deliver nutrients and remove toxins that build up in the brain.
• That fact is represented in the above drawing where the black dots are toxins in the brain. The glass of water that is being poured on the brain is flushing out the toxins. The toxins end up in the puddle of water.

Learning about the brain and water has certainly convinced me to step up and be more conscious of the amount of water I drink each day. On average, an adult loses 80 ounces of water a day. That's a lot when you consider how much water you aren't drinking. Soda, coffee, tea, milk, juice doesn't count.

Why does your brain need to much water? It is the part of your body that uses up twice as much energy than anything else. The energy is needed to produce hormones and neurotransmitters for you to function optimally. Also our brains can't store water so it needs to be replenished regularly throughout the day.

I don't have as good a memory as I would like as I explain in this brain painting of mine. Chronic dehydration may be the cause! Something that is fortunately fixable!

I'll leave you with this quote from an article I read in my research:

"On average, the amount of shrinkage equated to 14 months of age-related wear and tear, or the withering away associated with two and a half months of Alzheimer's disease." [2]

Drink up!

Regards,
Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://bit.ly/HunterArtList
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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Sources:
1. Hear, Merlin, "How to Improve Memory, Focus, and Concentration" www.waterbenefitshealth.com
2. Macrae, Fiona, "Water on the brain: Grey matter literally shrinks without hydration" www.dailymail.co.uk, May 20, 2010

Pi Day! How Does the #Brain process #Math? #piday

It is 3:14 on 3/14 :)

Happy Pi Day to all of you that either love or hate math.

It's interesting how Pi is becoming an increasingly precise number as it has been calculated to over trillion digits past its decimal point. Yet, we usually refer to it as an approximation of 3.141509. Pi is the calculation of the circumference of a circle divided by the diameter.

So in doing my research for Pi Day, it was cool to learn that math isn't processed using one section of our brain but it depended on the type of calculation we are doing. I represented that in my drawing as having the symbol of Pi grow from these distinctive regions of the brain colored in yellow and red within a circle, of course.

If seeking a precise number like what does 5 x 7 =, then it is our left frontal lobe (yellow area) takes charge as the equation requires verbal representation of numbers. Then 5 x 7 = becomes five times seven equals. As for something like learning the multiplication table, we just recite that to memory.

It's different when you're looking more for a range. For example, if I add 23 apples to this pile of 50 apples, would the number of apples be closer to 70 or 90. Parietal Lobe, colored in red (more specifically the inferior parietal cortex) has a role in understanding space and used for reasoning. So while the addition of apples will make a bigger pile, it wouldn't be as large as 90 apples and it would be closer to 70.

Now treat yourself to some pie! Just try to avoid cutting it into fractions.


Regards,
Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE handwritten postcard from me! Join my mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/OUkJ
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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Sources:
Butterworth, Brian,"A Head for Figures," Science Magazine, May 7 1999
Peterson, Ivers,"MathTrek: Brainy Figuring," Science News

The Brain and Sleep for National Napping Day!

Oh happy National Napping Day to all of you! Gotta love these unofficial holidays :)

For this blog post, featured below is a painting from my Brain Series on the Brain and Sleep.



Zzzzzzz (Sleep) (c) Michelle Hunter

http://hunterart.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-painting-nap-time.html

National Napping Day was started in 1999 by Boston University professor William Anthony, Ph.D. and his wife Camille Anthony. This holiday was started as a way for Americans to adjust to Daylight Savings Time where we lose an hour of sleep.

A good amount of research has been done on this subject. Results have proven that one can be more productive during their day when they take a mid-day nap. Try it, you'll see.

Benefits of napping include:

• Recharges you and Relives stress: Having a long day, feeling stressed out or feeling sluggish. Take a nap! You can awaken recharged and more alert to tackle what else lies ahead. An effective nap interval would be from 20-40 minutes.
• Better able to retain what you've learned: If you're able to get in an hour or hour and a half nap, you can sustain a high level of brain activity throughout the day versus a declining amount if you don't nap. A rested brain can more easily retain what had been learned.
• Do ideas tend to come to you when at rest? hint hint... Have something on your mind that you need to resolve and an answer isn't coming to you. Take a nap! The burst of energy that the brain receives after a nap can help get those creative juices flowing.
• Improve productivity: Who will get more work done during the day? Someone that works 8-hours straight or someone that works for 4 hours, takes a nap and works an additional 3 hours? Answer is the one that takes a nap! Work is done at a slower pace with more distractions if one works through the day. After a nap though, you can handle the rest of your days tasks with the same energy you walked in with. You'll get more done in that time and can work more efficiently.

Happy Napping!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Regards,

Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
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Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
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Celebrating the Female #Brain on International @womensday!

Hello there!

On this March 8th, the world celebrates the 102nd year of International Women's Day.

As the date approached, I started doing some research to learn about what difference have been discovered between the female and male brain. Of course with science, nothing is exact but much is learned and explored. In the area of gender differences in the brain, studies suggest that:

• The bond between the left and right hemispheres (Corpus Callosum) are stronger in women than it is for men. As such, we are more inclined to use both hemispheres of our brain when it comes to language like when we are reading or hearing something. Our language ability can be that much more exercised.
• Our brains also tend to have more white matter which is the substance that connects the different parts of our brain. However, males may have a larger percentage of grey matter which serves cognition and decision making.
• Our areas of the brain used for processing math may develop slower than males.
• Our brains tend to be slightly smaller than males (~10% smaller)
• When it comes to navigation, women are more inclined to use landmarks to get a sense of where we (turn right at the Barnes and Nobles) are while men are more directional (east at next light, then west).

Fun stuff! Enjoy your day ladies and as always, feedback is welcome :)

Regards,
Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact me to commission a painting or drawing (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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What Dr. Seuss Book do these words come from?

I welcome you to read this blog post on ... National Reading Day! It's celebrated throughout the country the same day Dr. Seuss was born. It is commemorated in schools on the closest school day to March 2nd.

As you are reading this, lots of interesting things are going on in your head! That's how cool the brain is :)

I've done some research on reading and the brain. Apparently a key area in our brains for reading comprehension is the area between our left Temporal and Occipital Lobes. The Temporal Lobe plays an important part in language and speech pronunciation among other functions. The Occipital Lobe is where our primary Vision Cortex resides.

In the below drawing I've represented that region with a keyhole. Flowing into that keyhole are words from one of Dr. Seuss' popular books. From the drawing, do you know which book the words come from?

Regards,

Michelle Hunter

Contemporary Artist
Tel: (646) 504-5034
www.hunterart.com
info@hunterart.com
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Contact me if you would like to purchase original paintings or drawings (info@hunterart.com / 646-504-5034)
The Brain Series of Paintings, so far: http://hunterart.blogspot.com/p/brain-paintings.html
Purchase prints to fit your space here: http://www.hunterart.imagekind.com
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hunterart
Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artcoholic
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