Savant By Artist Gregory Michael Maness

November 2023 – Original Sketch / Graphite Charcoal Pencils #2

December 2023 – Original Oil Painting Completed 

Italian Langnickel Palate Knife #15 / Princeton Art Brushes #3 & #4 

Italian Glass Sand Micro-beads and Half Moon Glass

48” x 48“ Wraparound Masterpiece Canvas

French Winsor and Newton Oil Paints

“Unusual Faces” Collection – The original sketch was drawn onto a 48×48 primed canvas. Two heads, joined together, represent the combination of intellect and talent. The body, shattered and multicolored, depicts a fragile, progressive mind. Elements including a caduceus, piano keyboard, Einstein’s equation, eardrum channel, green nerve and genius symbols were playfully added to suggest sincerity. The brilliance of a sun burst warms the scene with wispy clouds and glass orbs. An oblong moon is highlighted by a blue cross with the light shining upon humanity in awe of a special genius that exists within. The word, Savant, was deliberately twisted to the viewer’s POV in order to convey obscurity.

Inside The Painting – I was inspired to paint this piece after several conversations with my wife, Paula, who is a clinical Psychologist having firsthand experience with the unique abilities of Savants and Autistic individuals.  I was impressed to find many who excel in visual and audio memorization, artistic talent and linguistics and mathematics.  It was truly eye-opening and moved me to create the painting. 

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Multiple Techniques – To complete the drawing and transfer to oil canvas, I used a palate knife, carbon graphite and brushwork. Micro-glass clear sand was added for sparkle with Italian glass half-moons infused into the paint by a temperature- controlled heating process.

Memory & Re-Motivation – “Unusual Faces” was a theme I usefully experimented with decades ago and, recently, decided to revisit upon request. Presently, I recall Pablo Picasso’s statement, “It took me forty years to paint like the masters, and it took me sixty years to paint like a child.”