When I was at school in the 1960s and 70s, there were those who could spell, and those who could not. Those whose lack of ability was pronounced faced major challenges, for they did not receive the support and understanding due to them. Things are different now. For many years, dyslexia has received the recognition it deserves, and the roll-call of high-achieving dyslexics includes Einstein, Thomas Edison and Picasso.
I have dyscalculia – something that is not uncommon among artists and musicians, apparently. School life was hard though as, again, the problem was not recognised.
The condition means that numbers put my brain into a spin. If I encounter them in a written text, my brain skims over and ignores them. I can't long-divide or long-multiply, I remain unable to understand the rules of games – board, card, field or otherwise, and I can't learn dance steps; but I share my 'dysfunction' with Cher, Robbie Williams and Henry Winkler – 'The Fonz'. Coincidentally (or not?!) 'The Fonz' was a nickname that became attached to me - in a wholly ironic way, I might add, at school. I was a bit of a misfit, not cool like Fonzie! I even had to have it explained to me who The Fonz was, as I was not allowed to watch 'Happy Days' on TV.
So, allow me to introduce my latest oil painting, FUNCTIONAL DYSFUNCTION.
Perish the thought that my paintings deliberately or overtly 'mean something'. We've been over that many times in this column. Through an emptiness of allusion comes a plenitude of pure truth; or so I hope.
I would like to think though, that the tumbling layers and punch-bright hues of this new canvas hint at an affirmation of it being ok to be 'dys', in what ever way we, or our lives may be.
Of course, just as Claude Debussy presented the titles of his Preludes for piano at the end of each piece rather than at the beginning – as a suggestion rather than a statement – please feel free just to like it as a (hopefully) nice picture.
A bit of extra reading for you:
Today, a lovely article has been published about me on the AATONAU art blog website. Aatonau ranks number 8 on the list of '50 Best Art Blogs' of 2025 (updated in January) so I feel very honoured to be featured.
Enjoy! And do share, if you feel so inclined!
FUNCTIONAL DYSFUNCTION copyright Haydn Dickenson 2025
Enjoying the colours and being in the moment.
Beautiful piece, I love how the blood red hue almost forces through those playful, innocent colours. Almost violent.