When were you diagnosed with epilepsy?

Not until I was 50, but I think I've had it my whole life. I have a memory from when I was very young of feeling myself get as large as my bedroom right before falling asleep. It wasn't fun, but it was fascinating. Then I remember having what I now know to be partial complex seizures. They manifested as a very strong feeling of deja vu. I didn't lose consciousness and I never talked about them.

How did the diagnosis come about?

I described these sensations to my daughter when I was in my late 40s. She said, "That doesn't sound right." Soon after, I mentioned them to a general practitioner, who was dismissive. I persisted and finally got a referral to see a neurologist. The doctor couldn't induce a seizure with either flashing lights or sleep deprivation. Finally, when I was experiencing a cluster [of seizures], I got in a cab and raced to the hospital, where the neurologist saw a classic partial seizure of the left temporal lobe on an electroencephalogram.

Has life changed since your diagnosis?

Some people treat me differently. They may be suspicious or frightened that I might have a seizure and do something horrifying or embarrassing. I started to isolate myself from people who I thought were judgmental. Now, seven years later, I'm ready to engage with people about the experience of having epilepsy.

How has epilepsy affected your art?

My art has always has been influenced by epilepsy, I just didn't know it. I think my disease has given me access to originality. My work [in sculpture, drawing, landscape design, and installation art] is ethereal, experiential, and otherworldly, and my seizures have that same magical, otherworldly quality to them, which is transforming just as art is. There is quite a history of people with epilepsy who are creators.

How long did you keep your diagnosis a secret?

This is my first public statement about it. Not talking about it feels unhealthy and adds a layer of sadness. It's because of the stigma (the history of people with epilepsy being burned at the stake, sent to insane asylums, or treated as though they aren't mentally capable of anything) that I've kept quiet. I hope to help destigmatize the disease through my art and by speaking about my ups and downs as a person with epilepsy, and how I've weathered seizures, as well as dealt with my intense emotions and sensitivities while also having a successful professional life. I don't want to waste this opportunity.