Ödön Iványi was born on 12th November 1918 in Leszenye. He spent his childhood in Cserhátszentiván. He graduated from the Fine Art Academy as a student of Gyula Rudnay in 1943. After world war 2 he moved to Baja, then in 1954 to Salgótarján, Nógrád county. He lived and worked in our town till his death in 8th June 1985.

Besides his artistic activity he took an active part in the cultural life of the young town. He worked as a director of the county library, took part in establishing the cultural periodical entitled Palócföld, and taught in the Imre Madách Secondary Grammar School. He supervised and arranged the amateur artistic movement, and regarded this activity as an important task. He had organized the work of the Megyei Képzőművészeti Stúdió (County Fine Art Studio) since 1985. He took part in art settlement several times: Baja, Makó, Tokaj. He himself directed an artist camp in Szirák.

His early oil works and figurative compositions are characterized by the colurs of earth, the darker tones. Aquarell became his favorite way of expression in the 1960'ies. The colours of his works became lighter and lighter. His late landscapes were characterized by clean colours melted in light. To Ödön Iványi the first artistic task was that of grasping the glittering of light. He said this: "...Today's artists have somehow forgotten light, but light is to be ever redifined. It is not the impressionist light I mean, but the one that structurally enters the picture, and through which the picture gets an inner light."

As a significant aquarellist he was permanent partaker of the national and regional exhibitions, and gained success on several proposals. He had several independent exhibitions - in the Műcsarnok (Art Gallery), Szécsény, Makó, Salgótarján, Besztercebánya. In 1970 (Eger) he won first prize of the 2nd National Aquarell Biennale.

Besides his artistic activity his friens ans students still keep the memories of his wise smile and humane personality.