Participant Drawing Winners

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.