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       2023 IAES Virtual

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5th Annual

Art Show

Home of the AE Warrior™

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AE Awareness-T-shirt-2023-red outline-grey brain-2-fb

~Tabitha Andrews Orth~

“Brain On Fire”

This logo design was created to raise awareness for Autoimmune Encephalitis. It is the art that represents this year’s awareness month theme, ‘Brain on fire’ and is showcased on merchandise at the AE Warrior Store.  Several common symptoms seen in AE are labeled in the area of the brain where those symptoms are controlled. Tabitha is the Founder and President of IAES. She got sick in 2013. Her disease is no longer present.

Bat_Easter_2

~Bat Easter~

“Look what they done to my brain”

My name is Bat Easter, age 31 (diagnosed at 29, just a few days shy of my 30th birthday). Inspired by the following section of lyrics from folk singer Melanie:
 
“Look what they’ve done to my brain, ma
Look what they’ve done to my brain
Well, they picked it like a chicken bone
And I think I’m half insane, ma
Look what they’ve done to my song.”
About the piece:
Too often I feel medical professionals and care-takers are focused on the fall out of the AE disease itself; the neurological outcome, the cognitive outcome, the physical outcome. While these may be important, not enough attention is given to what someone who had had AE experiences during the /duration/ of their diagnosis and treatment, and what the price of those experiences turn out to be.
My case was originally misdiagnosed as psychosis, as many of us are. I was taken to a local behavioral health unit involuntarily, where I lost my autonomy and ability to decide medical decisions for myself. I was subject or medications, procedures, and handled in such a way that I would have never given consent to, had I not lost the ability to communicate effectively, something that my AE had temporarily robbed me the ability to do. I endured medical abuse at both the hands of staff at this unit, and subsequently the surgical staff that I had turned to, to remove a tumor on one of my ovaries that had been found months later.
It’s been nearly two years since my diagnosis, and to this day a feeling like part of me had died; like those mental “health” professionals had killed a part me, lingers. I no longer feel any sense of comfort or safety regarding the mental health profession.
Untitled Artwork

~Christopher Hooper~

“Brain Bound”

 Battling Autoimmune Encephalitis since 2016. It’s how I feel. Basically, it’s the feeling that I’m being held back from doing the things I was made to do on this earth. I was once able go to the ends of the earth, to help the most poverty stricken people on this plant. And I long to continue to do that.

Bat_Easter
Hallie_Gleeson

~Bat Easter~

“Skill deficit and return during illness and treatment”

Age of artist: 31 years old.

These three images documents how AE altered my ability to draw, from
shortly before showing symptoms, at the height of illness and symptoms, to
treatment and remission of anti-NMDAr encephalitis.

 

~Haille Gleeson~

“Warm Monochromatic Girls”

 Age 17

Rebecca-Jones

~Bec Jones~

“It’s all in your head”

This work aims to capture my experience with autoimmune encephalitis, a stroke caused by complications from the AE and the recovery from this. I loved making it and being able to show how every part of the body is effected even if not visible from the outside. I tried to capture the chaotic and horrific nature of the disease and the psychiatric symptoms that haunted me through the monotone and semi-abstract design. With my left side paralysed I also used repetition of the leg to show the movement slowly coming back and the neuroplasticity through plastic neurons coming from the brain/spinal cord into the damaged areas. I tried to capture many elements including the dysautonomia, seizures, sensory overload, weakness, nausea, speech difficulties, vision difficulties, osteopenia from chronic steroid use, etc. I called the artwork ‘it’s all in your head’ as I spent 12 months being treated for psychiatric illness, with just under 20 psych medications, TMS, ECT, 10 day Ketamine infusion and over 6 months in psych wards being told it was mental illness as my body was deteriorating, I was having seizures, movement disorder, dysautonomia, becoming weak and catatonic. I found making this work very therapeutic to show others what it has felt like for me through the hardest times and show myself how far I have come. 

 

Tayla_Henderson

~Tayla Henderson~

Kerry_Jones
Against it-Rebecca White-art show

~Kerry Jones~

“Dawn of a New Day”

This was a sunrise I caught the other day. I call it “Dawn of a New Day.” It reminds me to keep looking forward rather than back.

 

~Rebecca White~

“Against It”

Click Image to open poem.

 

 

Jarrett_Meier
Sandria_Glasgow

~Jarrett Meier~

 

 

 

~Sandria Glasgow~

These drawings symbolized my efforts to color while hospitalized on the psych ward in 2019. I struggled and made it to the tail. I did my best.  After treatment,  the clouds started to clear away from my head and the sun started shining so bright. I finally started to feel myself for the first time in a long time. This was the end result; a sign coloring.
AE Warrior, 2019
ParaNeoplastic
NMDA

 

 

~Mari Wagner Davis~

 

~Julia King~

 

 

Mendie_Milam
Ryann_Henn
fire_stripes

~Mendie Milam~

“Peace”

Age 49
As a caregiver and advocate to my daughter who was diagnosed with Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis in 2021, I learned that we, as caregivers, have to find a place of peace in the midst of the war. Represented by this picture I painted, your peace can be a hobby or a beautiful peaceful place. Take care of yourselves! You can’t be there for your loved one if you aren’t refreshed and ready to fight every day! God bless you all.

 

~Ryan Henn-Hawthorne~

“No name”

My name: Ryann Henn (27) Anti-NMDAr Encephalitis
My Art: no name
This was the first thing I painted while in rehab. It’s a small canvas. I do not know what it is, or what it means, but all I know is that I was so happy my OT let me paint. And I now treasure this small painting. When I paint, I do not hang my creations in my home because I would become my own self critic about them. But this painting, I hung so I see it everyday. There is no thought of criticism when I look at it. Comparing it to my paintings now, I would have said a small child painted this. But no, this was a pure product of my brain that went through 2 1/2 months on fire and was starting down the newly paved road of recovery. 

 

 

 

~Cheyenne Fenton~

“Fire Stripes”

Hello, my name is Cheyenne Fenton, I’m 24 years old. I created this digital art and named it Fire Stripes. I did reference another piece of work for this portrait (using zebra stripes on the face), with the permission of that artist. 

Fire Stripes is a portrait of my best friend Libby who was diagnosed with Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis. Her autoimmune disease does not define her, but it is, and will forever be, a part of her story. She is strong, courageous and a one of a kind human. She is everything that is good in this world. Libby, even when going through the roughest of times herself, is the person who will tell you how proud she is of you, and how amazing you’re doing. I hope this portrait reminds her that she is amazing and that we, her family and friends, are beyond proud of her.

 

~Celia Fermon~

 

~Samantha Slaughter~

 

~James Fitch~

“My Wife, My Warrior”

Created by James Fitch 48 for my Warrior Angie Fitch 48.

 

~Luka Hooper~

“Keep Standing”

When your brain is so broken it forgets how to do the most basic of things. How to think, stay awake, move your body, or even forget reality. Because of these things and so many more, you can want to lie down and let yourself rot away. If you still want to find things to laugh about, moments that bring you joy, love to give and receive, just to live, then stand up and fight!

 

~Tabitha Andrews Orth~

*I am Unstoppable*
This photo was taken of my niece greeting a Santa Barbara, California Sunset. It spoke to me. So I have used it to help express my feelings about having autoimmune encephalitis. 

~Gordon Muir~
Scotland

tattoo sudio
stephen_gutierrez
zebra tattoo
Laura_Meltchler

~Stephen Gutierrez~

   ‘Praying for healing’

~Keira White~

‘Brain on fire” & “Medical mysteries’. 

~Laura Meltchler~

   ‘AE Awareness Ribbon & Dandelion’

Jessica_Stearns
Karen_Ebuenga
mel

~Jessica Stearns~

   ‘Fighter & Survivor’

My name is Jessica Stearns and I’m 33 I was 24 when I first got sick. This is to remind me that no matter what life throws at me I can overcome it because I’m a fighter and a survivor.

~Karen Ebuenga~

   ‘AE & Autism’

My daughter had this tattoo done for her brother  (my son) who was diagnosed and affected by AE on April 19, 2019, he was 15yrs old then.
The tattoo symbolizes AE and a puzzle for Autism for my older son who is on the spectrum.
This tattoo symbolizes that my son is an AE warrior and we as a family stand and support him and others affected.

~Melody Wilson~

   ‘Warrior will fight another day’

View Past Art Shows

Overcoming the Noose
2021
The Beast that lies within
Alvin the Cat-2019 art show

Our website is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice. Nothing contained on our website is intended to be used as medical advice. No content is intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice. Although THE INTERNATIONAL AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS SOCIETY  provides a great deal of information about AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS, all content is provided for informational purposes only. The International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society  cannot provide medical advice.


International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society is a charitable non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2016 by Tabitha Andrews Orth, Gene Desotell and Anji Hogan-Fesler. Tax ID# 81-3752344. Donations raised directly supports research, patients, families and caregivers impacted by autoimmune encephalitis and to educating healthcare communities around the world. Financial statement will be made available upon request.

CONTACT US


352-527-2470

IAES@AUTOIMMUNE-ENCEPHALITIS.ORG

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