FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Digital Artist Diana de Avila Shares a Living Documentary of Creativity, Neuroplasticity, and Life with Acquired Savant Syndrome
SARASOTA, FL — July 30, 2026
Digital fine artist Diana de Avila is offering the public a rare window into life with acquired savant syndrome and synesthesia. Across more than 3,000 digital artworks—and through a growing archive of videos on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—she is documenting her ongoing neurological journey through art, creating a living documentary that explores creativity, perception, disability, and neuroplasticity as it unfolds.
Following a traumatic brain injury earlier in life and a profound neurological shift in 2017, de Avila experienced an unexpected transformation in the way she perceived the world. Although she had never considered herself a visual artist, she began creating intricate digital works inspired by geometry, fractals, natural systems, and the patterns that emerge where science, mathematics, and art intersect.
“I don’t claim to understand exactly what happened,” says de Avila. “I only know that after my brain changed, the way I experience the world changed with it. Art became the language my mind suddenly knew how to speak.”
De Avila also experiences acquired synesthesia, a neurological phenomenon in which sensory experiences evoke vivid visual forms, movement, color, and spatial relationships that often become the foundation of her artwork.
Her neurological journey drew the attention of the late Dr. Darold Treffert, the internationally recognized authority on savant syndrome. Following personal correspondence, Dr. Treffert noted meaningful similarities between de Avila’s experience and that of acquired savant Jason Padgett—both individuals whose lives were profoundly altered by brain injury while developing distinct and highly individual abilities.
Living with multiple sclerosis, chronic migraine disease, autism diagnosed later in life, and other complex medical conditions has increasingly shifted de Avila’s life inward. While her physical world has become more limited, her inner visual world has expanded. She often describes her brain as working far more than her body, transforming periods of illness, recovery, and reflection into opportunities for creative exploration. Although migraine attacks themselves are profoundly disabling, some of her most productive creative periods have occurred around them, offering personal insight into the complex relationship between neurological change and artistic expression.
That curiosity has expanded beyond the traditional gallery. In 2026, de Avila began incorporating her original artwork into independently developed games and interactive experiences, exploring how visual art, storytelling, and play can create new ways for audiences to experience creativity. She views these projects not as a departure from her artistic practice, but as another canvas through which to express it.
Today, de Avila’s work has been exhibited nationally and acquired for major public and corporate collections. Through ArtLifting, her artwork has been installed in corporate environments including Bank of America, Pfizer, Boston Scientific, Signature Aviation, Vanguard, CVS Health, and Tampa International Airport. Through the nonprofit veterans organization Uniting US, her work has also been featured in permanent and rotating exhibitions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. Her artwork has additionally been recognized through national juried exhibitions and professional arts organizations.
More than a portfolio, de Avila views her online presence as a living documentary. Rather than sharing only finished artwork, she documents the evolving relationship between neuroplasticity, disability, perception, and creativity in real time. Through her artwork, videos, writing, and occasional speaking engagements, she invites audiences to witness not only what she creates, but how an evolving brain continues to shape the creative process itself.
“For much of my life I served others—as a soldier, systems analyst, and volunteer. Today, my work has become something different. By documenting this journey as honestly as I can, I hope others living with neurological differences, chronic illness, or unexpected life changes will feel a little less alone—and perhaps discover that creativity can emerge in places we never expected.”
To explore Diana de Avila’s artwork, motion pieces, interactive projects, and ongoing visual documentary, visit www.dianadeavila.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Diana de Avila
Sarasota, Florida, USA
Website: www.dianadeavila.com
Email: diana@dianadeavila.com