At the Gray Matter Museum of Art in Costa Mesa, CA, last October, two paintings hung side by side. One depicted the foreboding sense of an impending seizure; the other showed eyes going into a spiral as the seizure moves toward loss of consciousness. Both are by Laura Mellow, a 58-year-old artist from Honolulu who hasn't had a seizure in 11 years but whose epilepsy continues to inform her creative work. "People who see these paintings say they convey a sense of what I went through during a seizure," she says.
Mellow is one of many artists whose work has appeared in the annual epilepsy-themed "Hidden Truths, The Mind Unraveled" art show, which takes place this year on October 8. Artists submit work, and a panel chooses the final pieces for the show, which are sold to raise money for epilepsy research. In order to be considered, artists either must have epilepsy or have a family member with the disorder. The artists submit a personal statement about their art and epilepsy, which hangs alongside their work. This will be Mellow's third year submitting art for the show.
An Urge to Give Back
The show is the brainchild of Julie Thompson-Dobkin, DO, a neurologist in Costa Mesa and a member of the Kant Institute, a nonprofit research organization. After her son was diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, she wanted to do something for the epilepsy community. She connected online with Jim Chambliss, PhD, an Australian researcher who was diagnosed with epilepsy after a traumatic brain injury and now conducts research on the influence of art on conditions such as epilepsy and migraines. Dr. Chambliss introduced Dr. Thompson-Dobkin to Steven Schachter, MD, FAAN, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and author of Visions: Artists Living with Epilepsy (Elsevier, 2003), a book exploring the artistic endeavors of people with epilepsy and their families.
Since the book was published, Dr. Schachter has collected hundreds of works by people with epilepsy and frequently features them on the cover of Epilepsy and Behavior, a journal he edits. Together, Drs. Thompson-Dobkin and Schachter, along with the Epilepsy Therapy Project, which merged with the Epilepsy Foundation in 2013, conceived the idea for an art show. Dr. Schachter contacted some of the artists whose pieces are featured in his own book and asked if they'd be willing to contribute reproductions of their work. In the end, more than a dozen agreed to participate, and the sale of their art, as well as ticket sales and sponsorships, raised $35,000.
Expressing Epilepsy
"For people living with epilepsy, the art they submit to our show allows them to share their depiction of seizures, aura, and depression, and for the art to become part of their voice," says Dr. Thompson-Dobkin.
Artists like Laura Mellow use their work to explain what a seizure feels like. Others, such as Vincent Buchinsky, 66, of Newton, NJ, allow memories of seizures to inform their art. "During a seizure, there was an intensity of feeling and perceptual changes," says Buchinsky, who no longer has seizures. "I saw things with a heightened awareness that I bring to my art: bright colors, texture, and contrast. I saw it and felt it and put it into the artwork."
For Misty Eddy, 44, who lives in Castle Rock, CO, painting is an opportunity to vent the rage and frustration she felt after her 11-year-old son, Austin, was diagnosed with epilepsy four years ago. "My first piece for the show was called Colors of the Mind," says Misty. "I was super angry about everything my son had to endure. The more I created, the more I made peace with it." Austin has also created work for the show, and being a part of it "has given him confidence and helps me see he's going to be okay," says Misty.
Raising Funds for Research
Money from the sale of the art—typically between $50,000 and $60,000 each year—goes to the Epilepsy Foundation for research. Artists are required to make a donation of at least 25 percent of the purchase price of each work.
Project organizers hope to expand the exhibition to other cities, including Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco, says Heidi Meireles, director of philanthropy operations for the Epilepsy Foundation and manager of the Hidden Truths Project. To view art from previous shows, go to hiddentruthsproject.com.
Art as Therapy
The work displayed at the Costa Mesa show is primarily from people who make their living as artists, but many neurologists recognize the value of art therapy for their epilepsy patients, says Dr. Schachter. "Art therapy offers a nonverbal way to identify, communicate, and work toward resolving conflicts and problems. It can also reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and restore an internal sense of control. This is particularly helpful to people struggling with the effects of seizures, side effects, and the challenges of living with epilepsy and its effects on interpersonal relationships."
The Epilepsy Foundation has an art therapy program called Studio E. Visit epilepsy.com for more details.
