top of page
2026 Savants
Other Savants
Archipelago 2025 Savants
Each of these individuals has an incredible talent (Music, Math, Art, Science, etc) and concurrent disability or brain injury
George Logothetis
George Logothetis is the Executive Chairman of Libra Group and Chairman of the Board of Libra Philanthropies, a privately owned, global business group with assets and operations in nearly 60 countries. He is based in New York City. At 19, George became CEO of his family’s company, Lomar Shipping, which had three vessels. The shipping business was grown into a more modern and diversified 55-vessel fleet over 10 years. In 2003, George founded Libra Group at the age of 28.
Tony DeBlois
Tony DeBlois was born in El Paso, TX but now resides in Rapid City SD. He is a prodigious musical savant; he is also blind and autistic. Tony graduated magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music ’96. He plays 23 musical instruments and sings in 11 languages. He has performed in Canada, Ireland, Singapore, China and Nigeria. His message to the world is: It’s OK to be different, believe in yourself, don’t give up on your dreams, always have high hopes, the two most important words are “thank you”- and the 3 P’s are practice, practice, practice. His goal is to continue performing music preferably at your next event.
Moniyi Adewole
Moniyi Adewole is a gifted and talented artist who leads a jazz band, called Mo’Jamz. He started playing the piano and keyboard at age 5 and has over the years, developed a natural flare for music as an entertainer. He is adept at accurately reproducing music by listening and reads musical notes appreciably. He has acquired certification in ABRSM Music Practicals up to Grade 4 through the Masha Music Academy and continues to thrive within the Music sphere. He is versatile within the band and plays the drums, saxophone and piano. They have played at various events and places including Metropolitan Club, Saddle Club, Ikeja, Lekki Leisure, Freedom Park, Lagos, Annual Concerts and at private parties. He has also been featured playing solo at Songs & Stories with Cobhams Asuquo and at the unveiling of the Guinness World Record’s Largest Art canvass by Kanyeyachukwu Okeke in Abuja Nigeria. When he is not playing in the band, Moniyi is a Music tutor to young children at a school. He enjoys swimming, horse back riding, cycling. He is proudly supported by his family.
Derek Amato
Derek Amato's life took an extraordinary turn in 2006 when a head injury unlocked a profound musical ability. With no prior training, he suddenly possessed the innate skill to play the piano at a professional level, composing complex pieces seemingly effortlessly. This rare case of acquired savant syndrome transformed his life, leading him to share his remarkable talent with the world. Derek's story is a testament to the brain's hidden potential and the unpredictable ways in which it can rewire itself, offering a captivating glimpse into the mysteries of human consciousness and musical genius. He continues to inspire audiences with his spontaneous and heartfelt story telling performances.
Dominique Castaneda
My name is Dominique Castaneda and I am a lightning word value and calendar calculator. Meaning if A=1 and Z=26, ABC=6. Also, if asked "what day of the week is/was April 16th 2025 or December 17th 2025?", I can answer it's a 'Wednesday'. I can also convert the value of words into corresponding dates or Month/Day/Year.
Michelle Felan
Michelle L. Felan from San Antonio, Texas is a sudden savant artist creating visionary art inspired by her unique experiences. In 2017, Dr. Darold Treffert recognized her gift and supported her in understanding the meaning and power behind her work. Being a savant artist has changed her life — her art comes from intense visions and feelings that guide her. Moving forward, she plans to share her art to inspire others, raise awareness about sudden savant syndrome, and deepen understanding of creativity and human potential.
Gianni Martire
Gianni Martire is the Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Physics. Formerly trained in finance with no background in science, Gianni became an acquired physics savant on September 12, 2018 after a profound neurological event. Just one year later, he was lecturing at universities across three continents on his new theories in general relativity and potential flaws in our current lens of nature. By 2021, he co-authored the seminal paper “Introducing Physical Warp Drives” with Dr. Alexey Bobrick, presenting the first physical warp drive model and helping to push forward Warp Field Mechanics as a serious field of study. The Pentagon has called his work “a once-in-a-decade find.”
Grant Manier
I am Grant Maniér (maun-yay), an award-winning Eco-Artist known for turning recycled materials into masterpieces. I'm also the illustrator of GRANT the Jigsaw Giraffe and Friends - a children's book series inspired by my life, but with a creative twist - I'm a giraffe!Living with autism does not define me ... I define my autism with my talents and skills. I am passionate about using my art to inspire others to discover their unique talents and make a difference.
Jason Padgett
Jason Padgett is a mathematician, artist, and theorist who founded QIH Black Hole Fourier Lithography, a framework where reality emerges from the interference of spinning light. After a brain injury unlocked savant abilities, he began visualizing complex geometry and waveforms, leading to his bestselling memoir Struck by Genius. His work unifies physics, consciousness, and art—revealing how mass, time, and memory arise from light itself.
Michelle Scheeland
Michelle Scheeland was born in Lancaster, California but currently lives in Oklahoma. Upon becoming an aquired savant she developed the ability to understand and identify patterns in nature and perceives more of her environment than before. This saved her life and has helped her son to overcome sciatica. It also caused a compulsion to learn. This has been a double-edged sword as life has not been easy. She would like to go back to school for physical therapy, and would love to speak on her experiences with others.
Jonny Rino
Jonny Rino was a CNC machinist and welder until 2017, when he received a severe concussion in an accident at work. He awoke several days later with an unexplainable urge to try to draw, previously having no artistic ability. He’s since found enjoyment in creating various forms of art. He is able to work with soft pastels and also sculpt wood and metal. He hopes to continue to explore different mediums in the near future. Jonny now resides in Northern Maine with his daughter, where he hopes to establish a home-based art studio/gallery, permaculture micro farm, and an online store to sell his art.
Brayden Schmidt
Passionate about timelines and precision, Brayden Schmidt is known for an extraordinary ability to track events, dates, and emotional associations with uncanny accuracy. With a deep interest in Apple Products, Minecraft, and cinematic detail—especially within thriller genres—Brayden Schmidt brings a unique blend of analytical thinking and creative insight. Whether mapping out future milestones or revisiting impactful moments, they approach every project with clarity, structure, and a genuine curiosity for how experiences intersect over time.
Malachi Schmidt
Malachi Schmidt, 23 year-old savant artist resides in Fond du lac Wisconsin, drawing and painting anything from commissioned pet portraits, influential people in history, to thought provoking abstract pieces. His experience growing up as an autistic person gives him a unique perspective and voice that comes through his art in an unmistakable style, that captures the true essence of his subjects that others might miss.
George Wager
Autistic artist can draw passerby in seconds
Derek Paravicini
Derek Paravicini is a blind and autistic English virtuoso pianist and savant with perfect pitch and an exceptional memory for music. He can instantly transpose music to any key and play any piece he hears flawlessly. Paravicini has performed at Buckingham Palace, Las Vegas, Ronnie Scott's, and the Barbican. He has also collaborated with others, including improvising pieces on BBC Radio and composing Blue, the first concerto for someone with a learning impairment.
Diana De Avila
Diana de Avila is a digital fine artist whose practice emerged from unexpected neurological transformation. Rather than imitating styles, she navigates color, form, and pattern through direct perception—an embodied visual language that evolved into a neuroaesthetic practice designed to support calm, resilience, and sensory restoration.
Archipelago 2026 Savants
Each of these individuals has an incredible talent (Music, Math, Art, Science, etc) and concurrent disability, brain injury, or other neurological illness/event.
Tony DeBlois
Tony DeBlois was born in El Paso, TX but now resides in Rapid City SD. He is a prodigious musical savant; he is also blind and autistic. Tony graduated magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music ’96. He plays 23 musical instruments and sings in 11 languages. He has performed in Canada, Ireland, Singapore, China and Nigeria. His message to the world is: It’s OK to be different, believe in yourself, don’t give up on your dreams, always have high hopes, the two most important words are “thank you”- and the 3 P’s are practice, practice, practice. His goal is to continue performing music preferably at your next event.
George Logothetis
George Logothetis is the Executive Chairman of Libra Group and Chairman of the Board of Libra Philanthropies, a privately owned, global business group with assets and operations in nearly 60 countries. He is based in New York City. At 19, George became CEO of his family’s company, Lomar Shipping, which had three vessels. The shipping business was grown into a more modern and diversified 55-vessel fleet over 10 years. In 2003, George founded Libra Group at the age of 28.
Moniyi Adewole
Moniyi Adewole is a gifted and talented artist who leads a jazz band, called Mo’Jamz. He started playing the piano and keyboard at age 5 and has over the years, developed a natural flare for music as an entertainer. He is adept at accurately reproducing music by listening and reads musical notes appreciably. He has acquired certification in ABRSM Music Practicals up to Grade 4 through the Masha Music Academy and continues to thrive within the Music sphere. He is versatile within the band and plays the drums, saxophone and piano. They have played at various events and places including Metropolitan Club, Saddle Club, Ikeja, Lekki Leisure, Freedom Park, Lagos, Annual Concerts and at private parties. He has also been featured playing solo at Songs & Stories with Cobhams Asuquo and at the unveiling of the Guinness World Record’s Largest Art canvass by Kanyeyachukwu Okeke in Abuja Nigeria. When he is not playing in the band, Moniyi is a Music tutor to young children at a school. He enjoys swimming, horse back riding, cycling. He is proudly supported by his family.
Derek Amato
Derek Amato's life took an extraordinary turn in 2006 when a head injury unlocked a profound musical ability. With no prior training, he suddenly possessed the innate skill to play the piano at a professional level, composing complex pieces seemingly effortlessly. This rare case of acquired savant syndrome transformed his life, leading him to share his remarkable talent with the world. Derek's story is a testament to the brain's hidden potential and the unpredictable ways in which it can rewire itself, offering a captivating glimpse into the mysteries of human consciousness and musical genius. He continues to inspire audiences with his spontaneous and heartfelt story telling performances.
Dominique Castaneda
My name is Dominique Castaneda and I am a lightning word value and calendar calculator. Meaning if A=1 and Z=26, ABC=6. Also, if asked "what day of the week is/was April 16th 2025 or December 17th 2025?", I can answer it's a 'Wednesday'. I can also convert the value of words into corresponding dates or Month/Day/Year.
Michelle Felan
Michelle L. Felan from San Antonio, Texas is a sudden savant artist creating visionary art inspired by her unique experiences. In 2017, Dr. Darold Treffert recognized her gift and supported her in understanding the meaning and power behind her work. Being a savant artist has changed her life — her art comes from intense visions and feelings that guide her. Moving forward, she plans to share her art to inspire others, raise awareness about sudden savant syndrome, and deepen understanding of creativity and human potential.
Gianni Martire
Gianni Martire is the Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Physics. Originally trained in finance with no formal background in science, Gianni became an acquired physics savant on September 12, 2018, following a profound neurological event. Just one year later, he was lecturing at universities across three continents on new ideas in general relativity and possible limitations in our current understanding of nature. By 2021, he co-authored the seminal paper “Introducing Physical Warp Drives” with Dr. Alexey Bobrick, presenting the first physical warp drive model and helping establish Warp Field Mechanics as a serious field of study. Gianni has since co-authored two top-10-rated papers in Classical and Quantum Gravity, with his work featured by New Scientist, Scientific American, PBS, National Geographic, the BBC, and other leading science outlets.
Grant Manier
I am Grant Maniér (maun-yay), an award-winning Eco-Artist known for turning recycled materials into masterpieces. I'm also the illustrator of GRANT the Jigsaw Giraffe and Friends - a children's book series inspired by my life, but with a creative twist - I'm a giraffe!Living with autism does not define me ... I define my autism with my talents and skills. I am passionate about using my art to inspire others to discover their unique talents and make a difference.
Jason Padgett
Jason Padgett is a mathematician, artist, and theorist who founded QIH Black Hole Fourier Lithography, a framework where reality emerges from the interference of spinning light. After a brain injury unlocked savant abilities, he began visualizing complex geometry and waveforms, leading to his bestselling memoir Struck by Genius. His work unifies physics, consciousness, and art—revealing how mass, time, and memory arise from light itself.
Jonny Rino
Jonny Rino was a CNC machinist and welder until 2017, when he received a severe concussion in an accident at work. He awoke several days later with an unexplainable urge to try to draw, previously having no artistic ability. He’s since found enjoyment in creating various forms of art. He is able to work with soft pastels and also sculpt wood and metal. He hopes to continue to explore different mediums in the near future. Jonny now resides in Northern Maine with his daughter, where he hopes to establish a home-based art studio/gallery, permaculture micro farm, and an online store to sell his art.
Brayden Schmidt
Passionate about timelines and precision, Brayden Schmidt is known for an extraordinary ability to track events, dates, and emotional associations with uncanny accuracy. With a deep interest in Apple Products, Minecraft, and cinematic detail—especially within thriller genres—Brayden Schmidt brings a unique blend of analytical thinking and creative insight. Whether mapping out future milestones or revisiting impactful moments, they approach every project with clarity, structure, and a genuine curiosity for how experiences intersect over time.
Malachi Schmidt
Malachi Schmidt, 23 year-old savant artist resides in Fond du lac Wisconsin, drawing and painting anything from commissioned pet portraits, influential people in history, to thought provoking abstract pieces. His experience growing up as an autistic person gives him a unique perspective and voice that comes through his art in an unmistakable style, that captures the true essence of his subjects that others might miss.
Amanda LaMunyon
At the age of 8 she was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, this syndrome varies per individual. Amanda has traveled the world to raise awareness about Autism and inspire others to create. She currently sells her artwork with a portion of the proceeds going to raise money for improving the lives of children with autism.
Kanye Yachukwu
Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke is an autistic visual artist whose bold, vibrant creations aren’t just beautiful—they defy expectations. He uses color and pattern to communicate deeply and joyfully in ways words cannot, and his focus, energy, and imagination have earned him global praise.
Rex Lewis-Clack
Born blind, Rex Lewis-Clack was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. By age 7, Dr. Darold Treffert labeled Rex a prodigious musical savant (piano) after learning of Rex's ability to play back complex piano pieces he had heard only once, and then transpose them into other keys or improvise off themes with little effort.
Also at age 7, Rex’s piano abilities, coupled with his significant disability, came to the attention of CBS's 60 Minutes. They made the unprecedented decision to follow his life and musical development, airing three full profiles: the first called “Musically Speaking” and two separate profiles titled “Rex.” The third profile won the "Edward R. Murrow Award" for "Best Feature in a Newsmagazine."
Rex has been sharing his unique life and piano gift with audiences worldwide since his first profile on 60 Minutes. He has inspired YPO (Young Presidents' Organization) and corporate audiences, as well as a United States President with his unique life and gifted piano playing, while also helping to raise funds and awareness for select causes such as autism, blindness or other disabilities.
Rex currently spends a lot of time with his band Rex and Friends, which consists of gifted musicians who are also either blind or autistic.
Also at age 7, Rex’s piano abilities, coupled with his significant disability, came to the attention of CBS's 60 Minutes. They made the unprecedented decision to follow his life and musical development, airing three full profiles: the first called “Musically Speaking” and two separate profiles titled “Rex.” The third profile won the "Edward R. Murrow Award" for "Best Feature in a Newsmagazine."
Rex has been sharing his unique life and piano gift with audiences worldwide since his first profile on 60 Minutes. He has inspired YPO (Young Presidents' Organization) and corporate audiences, as well as a United States President with his unique life and gifted piano playing, while also helping to raise funds and awareness for select causes such as autism, blindness or other disabilities.
Rex currently spends a lot of time with his band Rex and Friends, which consists of gifted musicians who are also either blind or autistic.
Stephen Wiltshire
Stephen Wiltshire draws from memory. Not just sketches, entire cities. Skylines, streets, and details most people miss, all committed to paper after just one look. As a child, before he could fully speak, he communicated through drawing. His first word? "Paper." Since then, his art has spoken volumes, earning global recognition and even a royal honor. At only eight years old, the UK Prime Minister owned one of his pieces.
Ted Hinman
Since 1998, I have been innovating and creating a wide variety of art, tools, blades and ways to teach metal smithing. What drives me is a respect for people, nature, and creativity as well as the feeling of freedom and connection I experience.
Viktor Bevanda
Viktor is a child prodigy gifted with an incredible artistic sensibility and talent. In the words of his brother, Viktor sees a much more beautiful world than the rest of us.
Tony Cicoria
About two weeks after being struck by lightning and my near-death experience/out-of-body experience, I began to have an insatiable desire to listen to classical piano music. This was a startling departure from previous musical interests. I was a child of the 60s and was raised on rock and roll.
Jacob Barnett
Jacob "Jake" Barnett is a gifted American physicist and former child prodigy. He began taking college classes at age 8 and has a measured IQ of 170.
Amoako Buachie
Amoako Buachie is an autistic artist with a profound gift and love for painting. Amoako’s passion for art started at age two. When his mother noticed him drawing and doodling on paper, she bought him his first sketch pad at age five—a Magna Doodle. As a child, Amoako would use his pad to draw characters from his favorite Warner Bros. cartoons.
bottom of page