Category: Neuro

How I started doing neuro art

7/15/2018

Back in 2014, I was invited to participate in a fiber art invitational called 'Common Threads' at the Foe Store and Gallery, then located on Main Street in Northampton, MA. I had been going to their gallery openings for a long time and was delighted to be invited to the show. So excited that I wanted to make some new work with a new focus. After lamenting to my partner, improv aficionado Izzy Gesell, that I didn’t know what to do, he suggested that I think about doing brains. WELL….that was a brilliant idea….and, I immediately started researching.

The first two pieces came to life as Neurofiberosis 1 & 2. I imagined what you would call it when someone always has fiber on the brain. #1 is built from crazy quilt techniques, while #2 is all hand embroidery and beadwork.

Below is the source photo for the information I used to map the different parts of the brain.

Image found on Pinterest - if you know who should be credited please leave a comment!

And then... something kind of magical happened. A colleague at my office saw those first two pieces and commissioned this third piece. Her daughter had a hemispherectomy at the age of 11 and she wanted a right facing brain piece, and so I created 'Starry Night' shown below. You can meet Monica in my blog post here.

I wasn't really planning on doing more brains but I became so intrigued with the subject matter I just kept going and now, in my 4th year, I am thoroughly entranced. I was further encouraged by friends who saw the work and also by the neuroscience faculty that I support in the day job (which you can read about here .)

And so.... the story continues to unfold. The more I learn about the brain, the more fascinated I become and the more I learn. Each time I do a piece I reference real neuroscience information and look at imagery that informs my art. The books below have become my best reference sources although the amount of information one can find on the internet is just staggering.

Some of my latest pieces have focused on the cellular level - neurons and stem cells seen below. Click on an image to get to the Gallery & Shop listing where you can read about each piece.

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In support of #BrainAwarenessWeek

3/17/2018

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I'm celebrating the end of Brain Awareness Week - March 12-18, 2018 - with a fundraising art auction. I'll be sending the below 12x12" original work of art ($450 value) to the highest bidder who makes a donation to a brain-related charity of their choosing. The bidding starts at $100 and closes Sunday, March 25 at 5PM EST.

Pretty much everyone is touched in one way or another by brain disease or injury. Personally, friends and family of mine have been touched by Alzheimers, mental illness, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors and traumatic brain injuries. We can all help by donating to organizations that support research, care and education.

Here is how the auction works:

Pick the charity you want to support - must be brain related.
Note in the comments here or send me an email with your suggested donation amount and the charity name. If the charity is not already on my list below, please include a link to their website. I will keep a running tally here of the highest bid.
Bids close on March 25th at 5PM EST - and I will email the winning bidder.
Winner makes their donation directly to the charity and sends me confirmation from the charity by March 31st.
I mail out the above piece on April 1st and will cover shipping to all U.S. locations.
The winner enJOYs a lovely piece of art and that good feeling that comes from donating to a good cause!

Unfortunately, I can't take international bids on this one, but maybe next time.

Suggested charities :

I'm particularly interested in those organizations that fund neuroscience research but I also highly value the organizations that give support and care to patients and caregivers. I've made the above list of the top organizations I'd love to see supported and I'm happy to add to the list if you'd like to make recommendations in the comments. Please note that I will look them up online and make sure they are viable nonprofits with track records and high ratings from an online nonprofit rater such as Charity Navigator.

You can email me directly at Bundesen(at)gmail.com or just leave comments below. Make sure you add your email address and note that it will not be published. I'm the only one who will have access to it.

Thanks as always for stopping by and taking the time to visit my website. Hit the link below to see what work of mine is for sale. I have a wide range of originals and prints available - almost all of them are BRAINS - Yay!

SHOP NOW

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Adventuring to SfN17

12/3/2017

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It's been two weeks since I traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in my first ever Art of Neuroscience Exhibition at the Society for Neuroscience annual convention with 30,000 attendees. In a word - amazing.

The art exhibition was fairly small with only 7 booths and each of us had something really unique to offer. Links to my fellow artists below if you'd like to learn more about them. And, as the newbie at the show, I have to say they were all kind and helpful!

Christine Liu - www.twophotonart.com
Greg Dunn - www.gregadunn.com
H. Kathleen Childress Designs - www.hkcdesigns.wordpress.com
Michele Banks - www.etsy.com/shop/artologica
Amy Davis Roth - Surly-Ramics – www.surlyramics.com
William (Bill) Stephen Griesar – www.nwnoggin.org

The best part of the show for me was the response to my work by neuroscientists. People from all over the world came by my booth and talked to me about my work and appreciated it. And by now, pieces of mine have been carried as far as Japan, Turkey, Spain, Brazil and Greece.

It was an incredibly gratifying experience and I hope to be able to attend next year as well in San Diego, California - my old home state.

In the meantime, here is what's on my reading list:

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An Artist's Insomnia

9/20/2017

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This last week has been a bad one for sleep. Insomnia is a problem I've had off and on my entire life. Sometimes I can track it to a specific cause like that 3pm cup of coffee or the chocolate I had in the evening. Sometimes it is my anxious brain spinning out of control - rewriting the many to do lists I have - over and over in my head, or worrying about the thing I didn't do... Do you suffer too? Here is advice from the Sleep Foundation on What to do When you Can't Sleep.

I've learned that instead of tossing and turning all night, I am a happier person if I get up and do something. This week I worked on a rainbow brain embroidery until 4am two nights in a row. Embroidery is relaxing for me and BONUS! I feel like I'm getting some work done - so, instead of just being tired the next day, I feel accomplished and tired.

And, sometimes my very handsome cat, Ben, keeps me company.

What do you do when you can't sleep? I'd love to hear your story in the comments below.

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The Making of a Fabric Collaged Hand-Embroidered Painting

6/27/2017

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Chronicling process - from start to finish - click on each photo to see the caption and let me know if you have any questions! It's a long, slow process but I LOVE every moment of it.

Shop Now!

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5 Things I learned about Alzheimer's at the Brain Health Fair

4/22/2017

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On my way into the giant inflatable brain at the AAN Brain Health Fair 2017, Boston, MA

I just returned from attending the Brain Health Fair 2017 in Boston, sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and I learned SO much - especially about the prevention of Alzheimer's and dementia. As a 60 year old woman, my interest is very personal and I wish I had this information 30 years ago.

Here are my most important takeaways:

Alzheimer's disproportionately affects women. Two thirds of all Alzheimer's patients in the U.S. are women and the research hasn't told us why yet. Is it because women live longer? Is it hormonal? Ongoing studies seek to find the answers. If you are at risk or have already been diagnosed, think about signing up for a clinical trial.
Women who have a mother with Alzheimer's are more likely to get it themselves. If this is you, it's time to get proactively interested in your brain health. You CAN take preventive measures!
Our brains never stop growing and learning. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. The best brain-training activity is to do something that combines physical activity, social activity and learning something new. Dr. Reisa Sperling, Director of the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Research Center at Harvard, suggests taking up ballroom dancing, for instance! Now that sounds like something I could get behind.
"Best diet for our brains is the Mediterranean Diet", says Dr. Marie Pasinski, Harvard Neuorologist, Author and Brain Health Expert. Fat is good for the brain because our brains are two-thirds fat. Here is a link to MediterraneanLiving.com for a terrific free cookbook you can download! I've got my copy and am ready to roll. (PS - I know the author, Bill Bradley, and he is local to Western Mass.)
Exercise can actually increase your brain volume. Recent studies have shown a visible thickness in the cortex after a regular exercise program has been adopted.

There is of course so much more to learn and know about brain health but these were my big takeaways and now I am heading off to the gym, planning to shop for all the right foods on my way home, and signing up for that dance class soon!!

For more information visit The Women's Alzheimer's Movement founded by Maria Shriver, a force committed to finding out why Alzheimer’s discriminates against women.

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How I started doing neuro art

Below is the source photo for the information I used to map the different parts of the brain.

In support of #BrainAwarenessWeek

Adventuring to SfN17

An Artist's Insomnia

The Making of a Fabric Collaged Hand-Embroidered Painting

5 Things I learned about Alzheimer's at the Brain Health Fair

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