On the evening of Tuesday, 18th February 2025, Croydon Spiritualist Church had the privilege of hosting renowned mediumistic spirit artist Florencio Anton, whose extraordinary talent has amazed audiences across the world. This was more than just a demonstration of mediumistic art, it was a truly mesmerising experience, leaving all in attendance in awe. A night organised by our president Anne-Marie Bond.
Anne-Marie says: “Having known Florenico and his team for a numbers of years, and witnessing first hand his amazing mediumistic ability. It was my pleasure to arrange with Florencio and his team a new church where he could showcase his wonderful ability and where my committee and church members could fall in love with the mediumship art works of Florenico”.
A Night of Spiritual Mediumistic Artistry
Florencio Anton, a Brazilian mediumistic painter from Salvador, Bahia, has been channelling the spirits of over 110 renowned artists—including da Vinci, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Van Gogh—since 1990, creating more than 27,000 artworks. Remarkably, he often paints with his eyes closed, completing each piece in just 3 to 20 minutes. His journey into mediumship began at the age of eight with clairvoyant experiences, leading to his first spirit-guided artworks at seventeen. Over the years, Florencio’s art has been showcased in over 105 cities across Brazil and Europe, with all proceeds supporting charitable initiatives. In 2018, a study conducted at the Faculty of Medicine in Coimbra, Portugal, observed that during his mediumistic trances, his brain’s electrical activity nearly ceased, suggesting a profound spirit connection in his artistic process.
The event at Croydon Spiritualist Church was the culmination of five years of friendship and collaboration between our esteemed president, Anne-Marie Bond DSNUT, and Florencio’s team, particularly Gil, Florencio, and their dedicated members. This long-standing relationship ensured that the evening was both spiritually uplifting and seamlessly organised. The evening began with careful preparations by Anne-Marie, Philip and Sheryl to set the atmosphere for the arrival of the artist and his team. Sheryl the receiptionist, Philip on hand for the tables and equipment that maybe needed. Anne-Marie arrived early to ensure the church was filled with soft classical music and tea candlelight’s adorning the entrance corridor towards the platform creating a calm and reverent ambiance for Florencios arrival to the church for the first time. As Florencio and his team arrived, warmly welcomed by Anne-Marie, Philip and church guest, Yolanda upon entering, Florencio’s first words were, “Wow,” as he took in the warmth and energy of our church. His team, too, were visibly moved by the inviting atmosphere that had been created.
Our dedicated committee members played an essential role in ensuring everything ran smoothly. Sheryl warmly greeted visitors at the reception desk, while Catherine welcomed guests with a beaming smile and a bowl of sweets, setting a tone of warmth and hospitality. Philip provided invaluable technical support, and David ensured that our cherished long-time member, Pat Davis, was able to attend and return home safely.
Three other Spiritualist Church presidents, representing Balham, West Wickham, and Chichester churches, were among those in attendance, reinforcing the strong bonds within the Spiritualist community. We also had the pleasure of welcoming many first-time visitors who were captivated by the evening’s proceedings. Additionally, it was a joy to see the return of much-loved former circle and church member Alex Hamilton Hyde.
While the visitors found their seats and with a great buzz of excitement watched the final preparations for the demonstration take place. This in itself was a meticulous process, tables set up, the oil paints were carefully arranged in their boxes, new canvases unwrapped under Gil’s guidance, with the help of Andrea, a first-time guest to the church and Yolanda a regular guest. Meanwhile, Florencio prepared himself in the mediums’ room before the evening’s proceedings began.
With the seats becomingly quickly occupied and excitement rippling through the congregation, at 7:00 pm, Anne-Marie formally opened the event, expressing gratitude to Florencio for including Croydon in his tour. She also extended a warm welcome to all the audience and gave a nod to the visiting church presidents. Gil, then provided an insightful introduction, setting the stage for what was to unfold. The audience were informed they could take photos of the completed paintings but not during the initial preparation of energy transition of Florencio while he moves into the altered state.
The Demonstration Begins
Florencio entered the church hall humbly and unassumingly, blending in with the audience—a modest Clark Kent in appearance. However, as he removed his coat, donned his apron, and hand gloves, opened with a prayer in Portuguese, he transformed into a veritable Superman of the art world. He removed his glasses, placing them carefully to the side, and then with a slight sway, the vibration of energy changing around him as he entered an altered state, and his hands became a whirlwind of creativity. A wide variety of music boomed as a wave filling every space of our church hall for example: music played by Thomas Bergersen and other classical compositions, such as “Arvoredo (Versao Demo)” and “A Rota do Individuo, as Florencio rapidly worked with the oil paints, using his hands and brushes to craft stunning paintings before our eyes. His two assistants carefully steadied the table and cleaned brushes as each one was used. The audience continued watching in silent amazement.
A strategically placed camera projected a bird’s-eye view of his work onto the wall, allowing everyone to witness the astonishing transformation of each blank canvas. Within just 15 minutes, the first masterpiece appeared—signed “Renoir.” Gasps of awe and wonder rippled through the room as the painting was held up for all to see and taken the aisle for everyone to take pictures on their phone. The energy in the church was palpable as one after another, six extraordinary paintings emerged—bearing the signatures of Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and others. The fusion of Florencio’s trance-guided artistry and the epic soundtrack created an unforgettable experience—one that left a lasting impression on everyone present.
Following the demonstration, the audience had the chance to engage with Florencio during a Q&A session, where he shared insights into his journey as a mediumistic artist. He spoke of his discovery of this gift at age eight, the guidance he has received from Spirit, and the profound impact of his work on communities worldwide.
The event concluded with an auction of the paintings, raising over £1,000 to support underprivileged families in Brazil. Florencio takes no money for his demonstrations, with all proceeds supporting ‘Grupo Espírita Scheilla’, an organisation he founded in 1999 to aid families in Salvador.
It was wonderful to see our members enthusiastically supporting this noble cause. Our president, Anne-Marie Bond, secured a stunning Monet piece, and a beautiful Van Gogh-inspired painting found a home with long-time church member Pat Davis. Another painting was secured on behalf of the church, ensuring a lasting reminder of this special evening.
A Night to Remember
As the final guests departed, the energy remained charged with inspiration and gratitude. This was more than just an evening of art—it was a demonstration of spiritual connection, artistic mastery, and community spirit.
For those who missed it, there is good news! Anne-Marie has already begun conversations to secure a return visit from Florencio in 2026. When tickets become available, we highly recommend securing your place early, as this is an event not to be missed.
A heartfelt thank you to all who contributed to making this evening such a resounding success—our church committee, visiting guests, volunteers, and, most importantly, Florencio Anton and his team.
For more on Florencio Anton, visit his website: https://www.florencioanton.com/en/
