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Page&Stage Podcast with Jason Cannon
In this episode of the Page&Stage Podcast, host Jason Cannon dives into the creative journeys of Diana de Avila, a digital artist who discovered her passion after a traumatic brain injury, and her collaborator Wilma Davidson, a communication consultant. The duo met at Sarasota Pen Women, a prestigious organization supporting female artists, writers, and composers. Together, they discuss their unique paths, the history of the Pen Women, and the upcoming Art and Found event. Listeners are invited to explore how creativity can emerge in unexpected ways and the power of artistic collaboration.
Listen to the podcast here: https://www.pageandstage.art/p/ill-be-your-words
Read the Kaleidoscope article by Sandy Palmer here:
Imagine suddenly seeing vivid colors and shapes floating in front of your face. Startled, you reach out to touch
the swirling array, but your fingertips find nothing. You know the shapes aren’t really there, yet, they
are. (read more here)
Read the Psychology Today article here:
Diana de Avila was in her pool one day in 2017 when she was suddenly “dropped on the moon.” She had just gotten home from the hospital, where she had been treated for optic neuritis and vertigo, and she was trying to relax in the calm water. Suddenly, bright colors and shapes began to appear in front of her. Yellow took the form of a triangle; orange was shaped like a rectangle. She felt as if she could reach out and touch them. Most strongly, she felt a desire to create. “It felt like lightning,” de Avila says. “Like something turned on in a second. It was a mystery to me.” (read more here)
August 11, 2022 Interview on the Suncoast View with Linda Carson, Sarasota ABC7
Meet Diana de Avila BoldJourney, August 22, 2023
Daily Inspiration: Meet Diana de Avila VoyageTampa, December 20, 2021
Lederer, Phil (2021, November) Visions and Virtuosity: A story of computers and compulsion, savants and self-realization. SRQ Magazine.
Kim, Irene (2021, September 22) Diana de Avila G'96: Creating a prolific body of 'other worldly' artwork The College of Saint Rose.
Nat Kaemmerer (2021, September 20) Writer Wilma Davidson and savant Diana de Avila team up for book "Soldier, Sister, Savant" tells de Avila's story and the arrival of acquired savant syndrome.
Virginia War Memorial Interview "Meet The Veteran Artist" (38:24) with Director Clay Mountacastle and Diana de Avila, October 13, 2020
Davidson, Wilma (2020, October 1) Diana de Avila - Featured Artist - Sarasota Scene Magazine.
Davidson, Wilma (2020, September 1) Art Explosion - Pen Woman Magazine.
Daly, Sean (2019, August 8) Sarasota Army vet discovers rare artistic talent after injuries and illness - ABC Action News - WFTS - Tampa Bay - https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-sarasota-manatee/sarasota-army-vet-discovers-rare-artistic-talent-after-injuries-and-illness
Becnel, Tom (2019, August 5) Sarasota Veteran Overcomes Brain Injury to Become Digital Artist - Sarasota Herald Tribune - https://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20190805/sarasota-veteran-overcomes-brain-injury-to-become-digital-artist
Lang, Jessica (2019, June 10) Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Turns a Disabled Army Veteran’s Disabilities into Artistic Ability - Suncoast News Network - https://www.snntv.com/story/40621550/multiple-sclerosis-relapse-turns-a-disabled-army-veterans-disabilities-into-artistic-ability
Herrman, John. (2019, January 27). Free Stuff. But It Comes At a Price. The New York Times, Sunday Styles p. ST1-3. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/style/amazon-reviews-vine.html