Migraine and Art study (epilepsy too)

When it started out, it actually had nothing to do with migraine at all.  Jim Chambliss, who calls himself a "reformed attorney", has personally dealt with epilepsy and migraine.  As an artist, he shared some of his experiences and emotions through art.

What influence does chronic illness have on art? he wondered.  He started out to meet artists who had or did struggle with epilepsy, to see what he could learn.  But then he found something unexpected.

The study began as one just related to epilepsy.  However, along the way we started noticing that many of our artists who had epilepsy and their family members also had migraines.  We have received ethics approval to expand the study to address the influence of migraines in art as well, says Chambliss.  As someone who had also fought migraine disease, Chambliss found the connection fascinating.

Not only has the study expanded to include migraineurs, the researchers hope that this will be a foundation to study the interaction of art with other chronic medical conditions.

migraine monster by Isabel
If you’re an artist with migraine or epilepsy, or migraine and epilepsy, you’ll want to join the 100+ artists that have already volunteered to be in the study.  The researchers hope to answer questions like:

• Can epilepsy or migraines enhance and/or stimulate artistic expression?
• Can artistic expression be effectively used to help diagnose and understand epilepsy and migraines?
• What is the best evidence-based foundation to evaluate which famous artists had epilepsy, migraines or both?

Jim Chambliss is also organizing an on-line art exhibition for February of 2009 called “Artistic Impulses: Art from People with Migraines”. If you’re willing to be involved in some drawing, and submission of your previous artwork, check out full details of the study here:  Sparks of Creativity: the influence of epilepsy & migraines in art.  The study is a joint venture between researchers from Australia and the USA.

Read the latest about the study at the Sparks of Creativity blog.

We’re hoping to enjoy an interview with Jim Chambliss in an upcoming edition of HeadWay.