When it comes to Vivien Szaniszlo’s paintings, not everything is as it seems.
That’s because this self-taught Hungarian artist creates paintings with hidden elements, all thanks to her clever use of glow-in-the-dark paint. Each one is carefully crafted with a hidden meaning or interesting twist. She’s grown quite the following on Facebook and Instagram where she shares her work, so there are lots of pieces to enjoy. We’ve gathered our favorites for you below!
1. Ever since she was a kid, Vivien has had a passion for painting.
2. She loves using colors of all kinds, but she’s especially drawn to bright and powerful hues.
3. Speaking of colors, Vivien has a condition that benefits her as a painter – grapheme-color synesthesia.
4. This means that she perceives numbers, letters, words, and concepts as certain colors in her mind.
5. It’s believed that only about 1% of the population has this condition.
6. In addition to improving her memory with phone numbers, birthdates, spelling words, etc., choosing what colors to use in her art comes more naturally to her.
7. Although Vivien’s always been passionate about painting, she took a 10 year break, only to pick it back up again just two years ago.
8. Normally, she works with oils and watercolors, but a love of trying new things led her to experimenting with glow-in-the-dark-colors.
9. “I loved every single minute!” Vivien said.
10. “It seemed like an exciting journey to another world, it was like some kind of magic to me.”
11. The idea for these magical paintings all started with the concept of creating art that’s not the same in the darkness as it is in the light.
12. “In this case, I can smuggle two paintings in one. I tried to hide a secret in every piece.”
13. During this process, Vivien discovered that her synesthesia has been super helpful with navigating colors in the dark.
14. Trying something new with her art was challenging, but Vivien’s results are evidence of what can happen when we find the courage to step out of our comfort zone.
15. “I would like to encourage everyone to try something new,” Vivien said, “because you can get a lot of positive energy!”
Wow! Vivien’s passion for her work truly shines through in all of the details that she lovingly worked into each and every one of her paintings. We can’t imagine the time it must have taken to make them, but we’re so glad she did! Which one is your favorite?
Don’t forget to share this list with an artistic friend.
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