Sparks of Creativity

Research Presentation in Rome

2011-09-08T14:19:00.006+10:00

The presentation of our research at the International Epilepsy Congress in Rome on August 29, 2011 went very well. It was exciting to present a summary of the study of the influences of epilepsy in visual art to some of the most important people in the treatment, research, and services provided for people with epilepsy from around the world. The conference had about 4,000 to 4,500 people in attendance, including people with epilepsy who are not doctors, researchers, or service providers. The title of my presentation was "Can epilepsy enhance or release creativity in visual art?" Steve Schachter from Harvard Medical School presented his studies on "Insights into Epilepsy from Contemporary Artists" prior to my talk. It was effective and fun to team up with him for the research session on epilepsy and art.

My presentation, which provided proof that focal epilepsy can in some circumstances enhance creative potential, was very well received. Notice of when the results will be published will be presented at a later date.

I want to again thank all the more than 100 artists with epilepsy and/or migraines and their family members who participated in this study.

My next presentations will be at Transylvania University in Lexington, KY and possibly Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA in December of 2011.

Jim Chambliss

(Pictured above, from left to right, are Simon Vogrin, Steven Schachter, and Jim Chambliss.)

2010-09-28T10:30:00.002+10:00

Congratulations 2010 Featured Artists:

The contest for featured artist in 2010 was a difficult choice. The many artworks reviewed were very impressive. We extend out appreciation to each person who entered the contest. Each "Featured Artist" was award $100 (AUD) from the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.Please see their artwork on the "Creative Sparks: Art and Epilepsy Web Site" at www.artandepilepsy.com. The featured artists for 2010 are:

1. Sharon Anderson (Australia)
2. Emma Brockett (Austratlia)
3. Vicki Deutsch (USA)
4. Tremain Farrar (USA)
5. Craig Getzlaff (USA)
6. Cynthia Gott (USA)
7. Cheryl Heuston (Australia)
8. Cathy Hozack (USA)
9. Debbie Motsinger (USA)
10. Terry Porter (USA)
11. Matt Rees (Australia)
12. Alexandra Rozenman (USA)
13. Alison Silva (USA)
14. David Thinger (USA)
15. Peter Walker (USA)
16. Jessica Wildenberg (Australia)

There will be another "Feature Artist Contest" for 2011 that is open to all adult artists who have or had epilepsy.

Featured Artists Awards for 2010

2010-04-08T11:30:00.016+10:00

Twelve artists with epilepsy will be selected as "Featured Artists" for 2010. Each artist will receive $100 AUD from the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria and be in a priority status along with the twenty-four artists previously selected in 2009 for display in the touring art exhibition in 2010 - 2012.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

1. ten digital images of your visual art,

2. the titles of the artworks along with the mediums used, size, date of completion and brief description,

3. answers to general background questions, and

4. consent to display your artwork on the web site, art exhibitions and associated publications.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: July 30, 2010. The selections will be made in August of 2010.

INCLUSION IN TOURING ART EXHIBITION: Each featured artists will be asked to loan an artwork for display at the "Creative Sparks International Art Exhibition" in October 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. The same collection will likely be toured internationally in the future. Artists retain ownership and copyright interests to artwork, with the exception of purchase awards of $1,000 or more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please e-mail jimchambliss@msn.com

Art and Epilepsy Article Wins International Journalism Award

2009-10-21T20:10:00.009+11:00

An article about our art exhibition, research and participating artist, Megan O'Keefe, recently won an international journalism award. Click here for a link to the story.

Australian journalist Julia Medew received a highly commended award for her article "Art Helps Lift the Veil on Epilepsy", published in The Age, on May 2, 2009. Her article, which reached more than one million readers, told the story of a young woman's participation in a study examining the influence of epilepsy on artistic expression. The 2009 award, an initiative of the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and biopharmaceutical company UCB, aims to increase awareness, improve understanding, and encourage accurate reporting of epilepsy by inviting journalists to submit stimulating, informed and compelling stories about knowledge, data and real life experiences of people with epilepsy around the world. Articles were submitted from 17 countries.

Participant Drawing Winners

2009-08-06T16:29:00.005+10:00

We recently had the drawings for the winners of the six separate cheques for $50 (AUD). All participants who entered the Sparks of Creativity Study after October 1, 2008 and who had completed Stage 1 by July 14, 2009 were eligible. The six winners are Alan Smith, Adele O'Keefe, Bernard Parker, Matthew Paul, Rhys Fletcher and Lynne Craig. We greatly appreciate the participation of everyone involved in the study.

Partial results from the study will be released periodically in 2010.

Sylvia Serville - Featured Artist with Epilepsy for June 2009

2009-06-19T11:24:00.012+10:00

Sylvia Serville from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia is one of the two featured artists with epilepsy for June 2009. Sylvia received a purchase award of $1,000 from Epilepsy Australia for her painting titled Totems and Icons. Click here to review her artwork and personal story.

The article by Denise Chapman is reprinted with permission from the Epilepsy Report, May 2009.

Family Member Participants

2009-06-16T09:51:00.011+10:00

Family members, spouses and partners of participants in our study of the influence of epilepsy and migraines in visual art, who are 18 years and older, are invited to participate in this research study as part of an important group for comparison. You as a parent, sibling or child of a participant have experienced similar environmental influences and have a close genetic background to your relative who is a participant. Spouses and partners also share a similar environment and life experiences. Volunteer family members of participating artists do not need to be artists by trade or by hobby to help in this study. Please do not hesitate to participate because you or others feel that your artwork and drawings are not “good” or you don’t produce art yourself as a hobby or a profession.

Family members of participants are asked to do two drawing exercises and answer a few background questions. A person may withdraw from participation at any time.

This research will evaluate how epilepsy and migraines, in some circumstances, can stimulate and/or enhance artistic creativity. Secondly, it will help reduce the level of misunderstanding and stigma that your family member and you may have experienced. Thirdly, this study explores whether there are genetic links or vulnerabilities to epilepsy and/or migraines. Fourthly, it will evaluate how drawings can be used to better understand these neurological conditions and also as a tool to diagnose if a person has epilepsy and/or migraines. Finally, this study will help to develop an effective way to evaluate what famous artists had epilepsy and/or migraines based on comparison to the art and experiences of living artists.

Invitation to Future Participants

2009-05-19T08:21:00.021+10:00

Invitation for Future Participants

The successful launch of our groundbreaking web site at www.artandepilepsy.com and the art exhibition has greatly exceeded expectations. There was a buzz of excitement on the opening night of the art exhibition in Melbourne, Australia on May 7, 2009. Our goal is to have the exhibition tour Australia, the USA, and hopefully other parts of the world as well. The current collection is available for veiwing at the "Creative Sparks Web Site".

All adult artists with epilepsy, from around the world, are invited to submit 10 images of one's artwork for consideration by an independent jury panel for inclusion in our on-line and in-person art exhibition. During each of the next two years, we will select 20 people with epilepsy to be "Featured Artists" on our web site and in the touring exhibition. Our hope is that this "collective biography" about artists with epilepsy will be published in a book.

9am David & Kim, plus Epilesy Reporter Article

2009-05-11T11:56:00.016+10:00

On Wednesday May 13, 2009 I, Jim Chambliss, and Denise Chapman of Epilepsy Australia appeared on 9 am with David and Kim. It was an internationally broadcast on Channel 10 at 9:00 am.

The Epilepsy Report has recently published an article on the art exhibition and launch the web site. Click here for the story. Click here for the "Creative Sparks Web Site."

Artists with Epilepsy Award Winners

2009-05-11T03:23:00.016+10:00

Award Sponsors:
St. Vincent's Foundation: International Purchase Award of $1,000 USD
UCB Pharma: Purchase Award of $1,000 AUD
Epilepsy Australia: Purchase Award of $1,000 AUD
JTA Associates pty. ltd.: Purchase Award of $1,000 AUD
Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria: Premier Artist Award of $450 AUD
Epilepsy Action of Australia: 19 $100 AUD awards for Featured Artists.

Creative Sparks Opening Night

2009-05-09T07:37:00.022+10:00

On Thursday night, May 7, 2009, St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia was buzzing with excitement during the opening reception of "Sparks of Creativity: An Art Exhibition from People with Epilepsy. Roughly 140 people turned to celebrate the launching of the art exhibition in-person and on-line at www.creativesparks-ep.com.

Forty-seven artworks by people with epilepsy from around the world were on display. The collection was so large as to require that the gallery be expanded to fill the corridor of the ground floor of the Daly Wing of St. Vincent's Hospital. Many of the participants from Australia were present for the festivities.

Dr. Mark Cook (to the right), who is a co-researcher in the study of the influence of epilepsy in art, was excited and fascinated to have discovered so many of his patients with epilepsy had a remarkable talent for art. Dr. Cook is primary link to many of the Australian artist with epilepsy becoming involved in the study and art exhibition. In North America, Dr. Steven Schachter, from Harvard School of Medicine, has been most helpful in opening the door for involvement of US participants. Dr. Schachter is the publisher of Visions: Artists Living with Epilepsy.

David Jones, President of St. Vincent's Foundation, was the host for the presentations. David has been an invaluable asset to the exhibition in helping to raise the funds and open the doors for the art exhibit to take place at St. Vincent's. Monique Silk, the curator for the gallery and art collection at St. Vincent's did an outstanding job in organizing the composition of the exhibit.

Many of the executives, case workers and staff of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria (EFV) were present on the exciting night. EFV is the leading force in financing the web site and the evaluation of the materials that have been gathered in the Sparks of Creativity Study. The most valuable contributors to the exhibition, the artists with epilepsy, showed up in abundance to share their art and stories with other guests. More about the exhibition and pictures are to come.

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to to those who made this exhibition possible.
All Participating Artists with Epilepsy Judges: Dr. Eugen Koh, Fern Smith and Jennifer Thompson
Organizing Commitee: Pauline Brockett, Monique Silk, David Jones, Dr. Mark Cook and Jim Chambliss
Primary Financial Sponsors: St. Vincent's Health and the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria
Award Sponsors: Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria, St. Vincent's Health, Epilepsy Action, JTA Associates Pty, UCB Pharma and Epilepsy Australia Web Designer: Warren O'Hara

Consultant: Dr. Steven Schachter

Research Sponsors: University of Melbourne, St. Vincent's Hospital and Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.

All caseworkers of the Epilepsy Foundation and others who helped transport artwork.

Internatioanl Epilepsy News Cover Story

2009-05-02T19:13:00.022+10:00

We are most fortunate that our art exhibition, web site and study was selected as the cover story for the International Epilepsy News, Issue 1 - 2009. I can e-mail an advance copy of the article by request and will update this site with a link when available.

Congratulations go out to Vicki Deutsch, Phil Thompson, Emma Brockett and Myron Dyal for having their artworks selected by their editor, Ann Little, for publication. This art exhibition from people with epilepsy offers more than a showing of art. It represents the opportunity for a strong collective voice of people with epilepsy to be heard and eventually better understood.

Personal Comments from Published Artists:

Emma Brockett (Australia)

"Our personalities are governed by our brains. Obviously those with epilepsy, in theory, will perceive art and make art in a different way from those who don't have epilepsy. Also, artists with epilepsy may display similarities only found in people with epilepsy, or the same type of epilepsy. I hope the exhibition makes people start to think about epilepsy and its consequences and opens up a dialog, which leads to a better understanding of the condition. I think art is a great way to do this as, I believe that, everyone will have an opinion of what they see. I would like to encourage people with epilepsy, including my self, to feel that they can be upfront about their epilepsy and not fear the consequences of such a disclosure. I have been told many times living in fear, is not a productive way of living at all."

Vicki Deutsch (USA):

“I would like people to understand that many people with epilepsy are not mentally disabled but rather differently 'abled.' We are creative artists and live every day lives like most others with the one disadvantage of disruptive seizures and remembering daily medications. Some of our artwork will show the inner feelings that we have about ourselves and our situation. This will give the general public more insight into an illness that does not automatically mean retardation, slow thinking and the devil causing our seizures. Depression linked to our disability and the medications is possibly the more troubling part of epilepsy. As we've all heard, the cure can sometimes be worse than the illness.”

Myron Dyal (USA)

"I have been showing my work for a few years now. My main theme is that all people regardless what their condition or circumstance can contribute not only to themselves, but to others as well. I have attempted to show in all my work all the inner pain and beauty that can be manifested with a condition as severe as epilepsy, but also a way out of that pain!

Life is not always kind, but we must be strong and fight for our dreams and never give them up for any one, any condition, or any circumstance. Once we have found our way down the pathway to our dreams then giving to others becomes part of that healing process. So, I hope that in some small way my art will help others find their own way to wholeness so that we can all see all the way home!!"

Phil Thomson (Australia)

"I want to make reference in my art to the fact that I have epilepsy because it has such a profound effect on my imagination, visual senses, emotions and on my perceptions and observations around me. What I would most like people to know about epilepsy is that it is a condition that effects and alters every aspect of human consciousness. It exposes someone who has epilepsy to state of perception that are experienced by relatively few of the overall population surrounding them."

2009-05-02T08:19:00.009+10:00

The Age, a newspaper based out of Melbourne, Australia, published an article today, May 2, 2009 titled "Art Helps Lift the Veil on Epilepsy." The circulation of the newspaper is more than 700,000 people. The story is sensitive and well-written. We appreciate the attention to Megan and to our study and exhibition related to the influence of epilepsy in visual art. I appreciate the opportunity to promote public awareness of artists with epilepsy. The Story covers one-half of page 3 of the maing section of The Age.

There are a few excellent articles from Newsweek from April that you should read entitled

"A Storm in the Brain: The toll of epilepsy has been overlooked - and underfunded - for too long,"
"A Call to Arms in the Epilepsy Fight,"
"In the grip of the Unknown," and
"The Axelrods' Battle with Epilepsy."

Opening of Creative Sparks Art Exhibition

2009-04-16T13:40:00.012+10:00

The excitement is building over the launch of the new Internet web site and the art exhibition at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne on May 7th. The art exhibition is sponsored primarily by St. Vincent's Hospital. The web site is primarily sponsored by the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.

There are 94 artists with epilepsy who have participated in our study. This exhibition is, in part, our act of appreciation for the time and effort that each participant has put into this study of the influence of epilepsy in art. The exhibition in Melbourne will be an excellent opportunity for artists with epilepsy, their family and their friends to share stories of common experiences.

The exhibition is voluntary for participants. All of the participants from Victoria who have completed the Stage One of the study are invited to show one of their artworks. International artists and artists from other states in Australia can show an artwork by invitation pursuant to selection of a panel of independent judges in combination with an organizing committee. We only have room in the gallery for about 50 to 60 artworks. Artists who provide the requested information such as a photo of oneself and statements will be given a priority in the decisions of whose work will be displayed. Yet, this will be the largest exhibition of the art of people living with epilepsy ever assembled in one location.

All participants and their family members are invited to attend the grand opening on May 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Everyone who has an interest in epilepsy or art is also invited. Please send your RSVP by e-mail to Jim Chambliss or to Judy Rumler of the Foundation Office of St. Vincent's Health for planning our catering.

We are now in the process of collecting artworks for the upcoming exhibition. Participants will be contacted by Jim Chambliss, Pauline Brockett or an associate of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria in the next several weeks about the display of one's art.

Please keep checking this blog over the next several weeks for updates.

Art Exhibit Preview at Opera at the Market

2009-03-24T22:35:00.007+11:00

The small preview of "Creative Sparks: An Art Exhibition from Artists with Epilepsy" at "Opera at the Market" in Melbourne on March 23rd 2009 went very well. We showed the art of a few Australian artists who are participating in our study as a sample of the large exhibition to come. There has been a lot of excitement about the art exhibition that is coming up in Melbourne on May 7th, 2009. We will be showing the art of about fifty people with epilepsy and some with migraines. The opening celebration and launch of the web site will commence on May 7th at 6:00 pm at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

We are currently in the process of collecting art and information from participants in preparation of the exhibitions on-line and in-person. Please contact Jim Chambliss if you want to participate in the exhibitions or attend.

Creative Sparks Art Exhibition

2009-01-02T18:20:00.010+11:00

We are excited to announce that there will be an exhibition of the visual art of people with migraines and/or epilepsy in Melbourne, Australia on the 7th of May, 2009 that stems from the "Sparks of Creativity Study."

There will also be a small preview of the art exhibition at the "Opera in the Market" in Melbourne on March 23, 2009. For more information contact Jim by e-mail at jimchambliss@msn.com.

Web Site Construction

2008-12-18T07:17:00.009+11:00

The public opening for the web site of "Creative Sparks: An Art Exhibition from People with Epilepsy" will be on the 7th of May at the address of http://www.creativesparks-ep.com/. (NOTE: There is a new web site in replacement of the prior web puvlication.) Participants and potetial participants in the Sparks of Creativity Study can have a preview of the web site. I username and password will be provided upon request. The opening date for posting the website to the public will coincide with an art exhibition featuring the art of people with epilepsy and migraines in Melbourne, Australia in May.

The construction of our web site is going very well. It has required more time and money that anticipated. This web site will contain part of what has become the largest collection of art from people with epilepsy. Participants are now able to submit their art, personal photos and statements.
The opening of the web site for artists with migraines will be delayed in that more time is required for programming than expected.

Artists with epilepsy and migraines are able to participate in the study and the art exhibition. The artists' information and artworks must be received by 10 February of 2009. Participants' family members are also invited to participate as a group for comparison.

Winners in Drawing

2008-10-03T09:24:00.031+10:00

Winners were drawn randomly from participants in our study who completed Stage 1 and the Survey of Artistic Influences. We have been most pleased by the quality of art that we have received and the excitement level about this study. There will be a second drawing for participants who complete Stage 1 and the survey later. Each winner will receive a check for $50. The winner's names and artworks are pictured below. The awards are sponsored by the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.

Creative Sparks: An Art Exhibition from People with Epilepsy and Migraines

2008-09-22T18:34:00.013+10:00

In the first week of May 2009 we will post an on-line award exhibition called "Creative Sparks: An Art Exhibition from People with Epilepsy." We now have enough entrants for this art exhibition to be the largest showing of a collection of art by people with epilepsy. This will give people with epilepsy a powerful collective voice that brings about better understanding and appreciation.

Each person who is 18 or older and has experienced two or more seizures has the option to have one of his or her artworks displayed, along with the answers to the two following questions.

1. What is the single most important or compelling reason why you would want to show your art while sharing that you have epilepsy?

2. What would you like for people to better understand about epilepsy?

Participants can provide a picture of oneself for display as an option. The image of oneself can be in photograph, painting, drawing, sculpture or digital image. Your self-image can be realistic, cartoon, abstract, surreal or metaphorical.

On May 7, 2009 there will be an art exhibition for people with epilepsy and migraines at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne Australia. Participants maintain ownership and copyright interests of the artwork that is displayed, with the exception of purchase awards. Purchase awards will be no less that $1,000. Entrants must specify what artworks can be purchased by sponsors of the awards.

Entries can be anonymous.

Please contact Jim Chambliss for further information at jimchambliss@msn.com.

Art Influenced by Migraines and Epilepsy

2008-08-18T19:57:00.033+10:00

By Jim Chambliss

Art can serve as a visual dialog of what happens within one’s thoughts, feelings and perceptions. The pains, altered perceptions and emotional impacts of epilepsy and migraines are often difficult for others to understand. The physical core of the problems can’t be seen. Each of these neurological conditions is experienced by a minority of the population. It is inherently difficult for other people to relate to a problem that they can’t see and have not personally experienced. It is often said that, “a picture speaks more than a thousand words.” Thousands of images of the art of people with epilepsy and migraines are being collected in an ongoing study called “Sparks of Creativity: the influence of epilepsy and migraines in art.” This large collection, along with evidence-based research, will help produce a better understanding of the impacts of these neurological conditions in people’s lives. The study also probes into the possibility that epilepsy and migraines could, in fact, stimulate and enhance creative expression.

Some of the World’s most creative minds, such as that of Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Lewis Carroll and Giorgio de Chirico, are thought to have been influenced by epilepsy and/or migraines. These artists are claimed by some to have had epilepsy while others speculate that they had migraines. There were no EEGs or brain scans available during their lives to affirm a neurological diagnosis. Perhaps the best way to evaluate which artists had epilepsy, migraines or both is founded upon comparisons to the art and the experiences of living artists.

The "Sparks of Creativity Study" does not advocate that epilepsy and migraines define an artist or serve as a direct cause for one’s creativity. However, these conditions are significant in the multitude of factors that make a person uniquely human and are part of the experiences that artists can draw from in the creative process. Study of the artistic expression of people with epilepsy and migraines can potentially shed new light on the personal feelings and thoughts of people that are often overlooked in traditional clinical research. It can hopefully help improve the understanding of epilepsy and migraines while reducing the unjust stigma associated with these conditions. The “Sparks of Creativity Study” and associated web site called “Channel Z Artworks” will serve as a window through which people may gain a better understanding of these human conditions. People can see the positive accomplishments of artists with epilepsy and migraines through viewing their creative expression. As more people come to understand epilepsy and migraines the associated stigma will be reduced.

There are numerous symptoms that are common in some types of partial seizures and migraines. One condition can sometimes trigger the other. Some people can have both epilepsy and migraines. Recently medical research has discovered a gene mutation that epilepsy and migraines sometimes have in common. There is a great deal to learn about how these two neurological conditions frequently co-exist, how they may be related and how they can be distinguished.

Examples of how epilepsy and migraines can influence art:

Seizure within the Mind by Andrew Schuler

(Echuca, Victoria, Australia)

Andrew Schuler depicts what he perceives within his mind’s eye of what others witness as he has a tonic-clonic seizure. The image of his convulsing body appears in front of a vibrant background that represents a print-out of his EEG measurement of a seizure. His art conveys his need to fill the gap when there is no memory of events during his generalized seizures.

Buzzing Sensation by Howard Smith

(Geelong, Victoria, Australia)

Howard Smith created a series of eight images of what happens during the progression of a complex-partial seizure. The sequence of his pastel drawings, collectively titled A Seizure, progresses from representation of the first subtle signs of the seizure auras, into “a black hole of consciousness”, then coming out of the seizure to a fairly normal state where he experiences questions and holes in his awareness of what happened. The “buzzing sensation” is an aura that sometimes precedes his seizures. His drawings allow others to sense and vicariously share in the experience of a complex-partial seizure. (Chambliss J. “Drawing from Epilepsy and Music: the artistic inspirations of Howard Smith,” Epilepsy Report, June 2007. This series is owned by and displayed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital of Adelaide.)

Migraine by Briana Kenno

(Windber, PA, USA)

Migraines can be painful experiences that distort who a person is and what one perceives. This sculpture was done in a clay studie during a night when Briana Kenno had a sever migraine. This sculpture came out of her anger in relation to how migraines can ruin so many events in her life and how ugly a migraine can make her feel.

Multiple Realities by Denis Gagnon

(Winnipeg, Canada)

In the late 1900’s Dr. John Hughlings Jackson described partial seizures as the “dreamy state.” Denis Gagnon depicts a curious child who is observing a cartoon of the experiences of Alice in Wonderland, as if she is actively engaged in a dream. The stories of Lewis Carroll about the adventures of Alice are thought by many to be inspired by his personal experiences with seizures. The background is a blue room that is inspired by a painting of Vincent van Gogh, who is the artist most frequently mentioned to have had epilepsy.

Metamorphosis by Vicki Deutsch

(St. Paul, MN, USA)

The acrylic painting/digital image by Vicki Deutsch represents the evolving state of being that she experiences with epilepsy. Vicki commented that at the time of its creation, “I felt a new me emerging like the monarch caterpillar under the puppet’s foot, but at the same time I also felt manipulated by the doctors and the pills.”

Ambulatory EEG by Rachna Pettygrove

(Minneapolis, MN, USA)

Rachna Pettygrove’s pseudo-surrealistic painting of Ambulatory EEG depicts her disdain for the uncomfortable process of wearing the mechanical headgear that is used to measure brain waves over an extended period. (Citation: Gruca, Terry, “Is There a Link Between Epilepsy and Art?” WCCO <http://wcco.com/health/epilepsy.artistic.abilities.2.363391.html> December 4, 2006).

Assimilation Blues by Sylvia Huege de Serville

(Camira, QLD, Australia)

Sylvia Huege de Serville’s painting compassionately portrays the heart-wrenching exploits of the ‘stolen generation.’ She feels deeply about the plight of aboriginal children who were often used as free labour in the domestic servitude and ranch-hand field. Assimilation Blues won the 'People's Choice' Award in the 2003 Telstra Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award.

I See Lapses in Red by Patricia Bernard

(Capitola, CA, USA)

Patricia Bernard’s painting has activity, form and vivid colors that show the movement in her mind’s eye at that time of her experiences with seizures and migraines. Patricia states that when she is having these events her “perspective gets jumbled up” in her mind. Straight lines can become “mutated and uncontrollable.” The visual illusions distort her awareness of where she stands in space and of the colour that she sees in her inner world. Ms. Bernard’s intriguing depiction of her altered visual experiences allows viewers to enter a place that few can truly understand without a visual representation.

Laceration by Olea Nova

(Chicago, IL, USA)

Laceration was inspired by a conversation that I had with Olea Nova. I told her about how some of my headaches occasionally occured during several years following a brain injury. They were like a sudden unexpected jolt of pain as if someone drove a sharp stake down the middle of my head.

The theme of much, if not most, of the art of people with epilepsy and migraines is not directly related to these neurological experiences. Many of the participants in this study were asked why they would want to exhibit their art while disclosing that they have epilepsy and/or migraines. The vast majority responded with a central theme that they wanted to be understood. Hopefully, this study and web site can help to accomplish improved understanding, acceptance and appreciation of people who are slightly different.

If you wish to learn more about the influence of epilepsy in art or to participate in this research please see our web site at http://fs3.formsite.com/creative/sparks. You can also contact Jim Chambliss by mobile phone in Australia at 0430 043 400 or by e-mail at jimchambliss@msn.com.

Art of People with Epilepsy and Migraines

2008-08-18T18:50:00.012+10:00

Books and Web Sites Featuring the Art of People with Migraine & Epilepsy

The following is a list of book titles and web sites that feature the art of people with epilepsy and/or migraines.

Books:

Visions: Artists Living with Epilepsy, edited by Dr. Steven Schachter

Migraine Expressions: A Creative Journey through Life with Migraine,
edited by Betsy Blondin

Web Sites:

American Headache Society

Brainstorms Art Collection from the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota

Desitin: Art and Epilepsy

Discover Health - Migraine Art Gallery

Epilepsy.com, Gallery of Visual Art

Expression of Courage: Art by People with Epilepsy

Freedom in Mind Art Gallery

From the Storm: Artists with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

German Epilepsy Museum in Kork

Migraine Action Association Art Gallery

Migraine Art by Olea Nova

Migraine Aura Association

Migraine Masterpieces Gallery of 2003

Migraine Masterpieces Gallery of 2001

Migraine Masterpieces Gallery of 1998

National Arts and Disability Center

National Headache Foundation Migraine Art Gallery

NY Times Migraine: Perspectives on a Headache

Relieve-migraine-headache.com, Migraine Aura Art

Ronda’s Migraine Page

The images to the right are from the books Visions: Artists Living with Epilepsy and Migraine Expressions: A Creative Journey through Life with Migraine.

Biography of Jim Chambliss

2008-08-18T15:38:00.006+10:00

I, Jim Chambliss, am a reformed attorney who is successfully rebounding from traumatic brain injury in 1998 that led to temporolimbic epilepsy (TLE), migraines and temporary cognitive damage. I am currently a 44-year old PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne in a dual PhD program that combines creative art and medicine. The study that I am doing, in cooperation with the University of Melbourne, St. Vincent’s Health, the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria and other medical service organisations is called “Sparks of Creativity: The Influence of Epilepsy and Migraines in Art." The inspiration for this research came from a personal metamorphosis in a series of life-changing events after the injury that opened the door to a new life and undiscovered artistic ability. My quest to understand what happened to my brain after the injury has led to some interesting discoveries and revelations. As a result of my experiences stemming from the brain injury I am now more genuinely and compassionately focused on helping other people in similar circumstances.

I had a brain injury in the summer of 1998. Afterwards strange things were happening to me like having false sensations of smells that were like something rotten was burning, losing track of what I was doing, going blank while talking to people, getting lost in familiar places, having quick jerks of my hand and developing unusual writing habits. In non-scientific terms I was “feeling out of it” and had trouble focusing. I did not recognize that I was having complex-partial seizures. I thought of seizures as only the tonic clonic version of falling and shaking. Three months after the brain injury, that was originally thought to be only a “minor concussion,” I had a tonic seizure at a Christmas party. Numerous people from the party described that I stiffened and fell like a tree. I hit flat on my face on a hardwood floor. I have neither memory of the event nor the ambulance ride to the hospital. Maybe it is best that I cannot recall the first 10 hours or so that I was in intensive care. I woke with more pain than I can fully convey. I was wearing a neck-brace, heart monitor and tubes going into my body. My nose was broken in two places and some of my teeth were cracked. I had three face lacerations and an eye that was swollen shut. A friend of mine, who was a nurse at the hospital, could not recognize my face.

For several years I had migraines and headaches that were viciously painful and disorienting. So many weird things were happening to me that are hard to distinguish as being caused by epilepsy, migraines or a combination of both. Damage to my left hemisphere impacted on functions such as reading, writing, numerical calculations, listing and those things associated with mental efficiency. Frontal lobe damage led to an executive dysfunction with trouble remembering, making wise choices and keeping track of things. It took me years to recover from the cognitive damage from these serious brain injuries. The practice of law became too complicated and too unforgiving of mistakes for me to continue to be competitive at that time. However, I remain a licensed attorney in good-standing. During the recovery process and resulting medical expenses I lost most everything I had of monetary value. This was most unexpected, frustrating and humbling for a formally cocky attorney.

Pursuant to conservative medical management I was not put on antiepileptic medication until I blacked out and wrecked my car! I couldn’t drive for more than five years until medication, and my ability to remember to take the medicine, successfully brought the seizures under control.

In spite of my challenges I refused to become a person who continued to focus on the negative or dwell on what life could have been without the dramatic changes. Subsequent to the brain injury, I discovered a talent for art when I was playing around with a block of Styrofoam one day while working as a substitute teacher. I carved a salamander from memories of my childhood that impressed the students and the faculty at the high school. I had no artistic training or recognized creative talent before my brain injuries and the resulting seizures. Subsequently, my art has won numerous awards and has been published on multiple occasions. I was very fortunate to have the advice of an outstanding and caring neuropsychologist named Dr. Steven Schmidt. He recognized what I could do best and helped me focus on the positive potential I had for art.

Over the years the reserve brain cells seemed to slowly work through the training process to compensate for the damage. I regained most of my cognitive and academic skills to a point of having even more success in school than prior to my injuries. I graduated in 2005 at the University of Louisville in the USA with a Masters in Visual Art. I received a prestigious International Postgraduate Research Scholarship to the University of Melbourne. I read a statement in the book A Purpose Driven Life to the effect that ‘your most effective mission will come out of your deepest hurts.’ I genuinely believe that I can achieve more socially beneficial goals as a researcher, teacher and advocate, specializing in interdisciplinary studies involving the medical and psychological influences in creativity than in my prior career path.

Many people with epilepsy, migraines, brain injuries and other chronic medical conditions are misdiagnosed and misunderstood. While most attention, regarding neurological impairment, focuses on the negative aspects, my current research investigates the positive accomplishments in artistic expression by people with epilepsy and migraines. There can be a productive side to the electrical mischief that epilepsy and migraines produce, through enhanced creativity. This phenomenon is not contained within the boundaries of what is normal, expected and predictable. Some types of epilepsy and migraines can spark inspiration, enhance creative functions and lead some people to produce art that is of such novelty and value as to change the course of mainstream thought, production and appreciation.

Some of the World’s most creative minds are thought to have been influenced by epilepsy, such as Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh and Lewis Carroll. There were no EEGs or brain scans available during their lives to affirm a diagnosis of epilepsy. One of my goals for the research that I am doing in association with the University of Melbourne, St. Vincent’s Health, the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria and others is that it will serve as a foundation to evaluate whether past artists had epilepsy and/or migraines based on comparisons with the artwork and writing of living artists.

You can contact me by e-mail at jimchambliss@msn.com.

Participant Invitation

2008-08-18T11:04:00.018+10:00

We are conducting a study called “Sparks of Creativity: The Influence of Epilepsy and Migraines in Art.” This research will evaluate how epilepsy and migraines can influence the creation of visual art. This study makes an objective evaluation of whether epilepsy and migraines can, in some circumstances, stimulate and enhance creativity. This research will help to better understand the creative process and how epilepsy and migraines impact the lives of people. Some of the World’s most creative minds are thought to have been influenced by epilepsy and/or migraines, such as Michelangelo, Lewis Carroll, Vincent van Gogh and Giorgio de Chirico. There were no modern EEGs or brain scans during their lives to affirm a neurological diagnosis. This research will serve as a foundation to evaluate whether artists had epilepsy based on comparisons with the artwork and writing of living artists who are confirmed to have epilepsy and/or migraines by modern methods of diagnosis.

We are inviting artists, by hobby or by trade, who are 18 or older and can communicate in English to participate in this international study. We are also inviting family members of artists with epilepsy and/or migraines and artists with other medical conditions to participate as part of important groups for comparison. Family members do not need to be artists in order to be highly valuable contributors to this study.

This is an interdisciplinary study conducted by the University of Melbourne and St. Vincent’s Health. This research is part of a PhD thesis of Jim Chambliss for a dual degree in creative arts and medicine. Dr. Mark Cook of St. Vincent’s Health and the University of Melbourne, School of Medicine is a principle researcher in this study. Dr. Barbara Bolt of the Victoria College of Art, University of Melbourne and Dr. David Williams of the University of Melbourne, School of Physiology are supervisors of Jim Chambliss and co-researchers. Dr. Jaya Pinikahana of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria is also a co-researcher.

There are three stages in this study. Stage 1 is an anonymous review of two brief drawings, a written summary about one’s artistic influences and the review of 10 images of existing artwork. Stage 2 involves the completion of a survey and interviews for a more personal understanding of the art, medical conditions and lives of selected participants. Stage 3 will include one or more art exhibitions and publications. Participants in the comparison groups of family members and artists with other medical conditions are only asked to complete parts of the study that are relative, according to their experiences with epilepsy or migraines and whether they are artists. There is no obligation to participate in Stages 2 or 3 after completing Stage 1. Participants can withdraw from the study at any time. Participants can remain anonymous. Participants have an opportunity to display their art, while retaining ownership and copyright interests.

If you wish to participate in the study or know of people who may be interested then please contact Jim Chambliss at jimchambliss@msn.com or see our web site at http://fs3.formsite.com/creative/sparks.

The ethics approval numbers are HREC-A 044/06 for St. Vincent’s Health and 060351X2 for the University of Melbourne.

Comments about Sparks of Creativity:

Betsy Blondin, Editor, Migraine Expressions

“Throughout my nearly 40-year migraine journey, the most helpful milestones have been discovering artwork, reading migraine articles and books, and sharing the complexities of this disease by reading about and discussing experiences with others. In fact, a real epiphany years ago for me was happening upon a Smithsonian magazine article about migraine that included artwork. I still carry those images in my head because it was the first time I could truly “see” what I had and connect with others like me. My mother has five daughters, three of whom have migraine, and the first thing she said about the images and words in Migraine Expressions was how absolutely “flabbergasted” she was to finally grasp what her daughters had been trying to describe all these years.

That’s why I find the "Sparks of Creativity Study" about epilepsy, migraine and the visual arts so critical and fascinating. It’s a shared desire for awareness and understanding by people without migraine or epilepsy and for understanding what is happening within ourselves and what I call our “brain glitches.” Many migraineurs have described to me a surge of creativity or hyper brain activity they experience before or during a migraine, which may actually be there all the time! Jim’s story is amazing and I hope you will contribute to his important work.”