Scenes from the charrette: Top row – Katherine Chilcote & Lucy and Lisa coming together. Bottom row – creating scenes for Katherine to paint

This is my sixth blog for the “Insights into Epilepsy” website. I have intractable epilepsy and over the last twenty years I have had break through seizures, with varied frequency and intensity. There is something really cool going on this fall at the Epilepsy Association. They have commissioned Cleveland Outdoor Muralist Katherine Chilcote to paint a forty foot-long by eight foot-high mural that will be placed on the east side of the association office building. The purpose of the mural is to increase awareness about epilepsy, bring attention to the agency and contribute to the revitalization of the neighborhood, by depicting the life experiences of people who live with epilepsy.

In order to help the artist complete the mural, the agency held a charrette, which is a community meeting or focus group where the stakeholders of a project get together and find a solution to an issue at hand. The people who attended shared their life stories and experiences living with epilepsy. This meeting helped Katherine create the imagery that is expressed in the mural. The mural depicts a public expression of the life experiences commonly shared by people who suffer from epilepsy. This fall you should drive by the Epilepsy Association offices and take look at the beautiful mural that Katherine is creating.

Sharing experiences at the mural charrette

The agency has not yet reached its funding goal for this project. If you are interested in donating, make your checks payable to the Epilepsy Association and mail to 2831 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2606. For more information contact the Epilepsy Association: Andrea Segedi, Director of Special Gifts & IT, (216)579-1330 or email her at asegedi@epilepsyinfo.org

If you need information about epilepsy or know someone who needs help coping with epilepsy, the Epilepsy Association of North East Ohio might be able to help or let you know where you can get help. Give them a call at 216-579-1330.

Blogger Mike Wesel