Another art exhibition by local artists opened today at a town library in my area, and continues until Sunday September 18, 2022. It’s being presented by the Artists’ Circle of the West Island, of which I’m a member. It’s a free art show, as part of this group’s community outreach, and includes three of my watercolour paintings.
It’s still a thrill – alliteration aside! – every time I see one of my paintings or nature photos on the wall in an exhibition space. The Vernissage or opening reception – a meet-the-artists event – will be held on September 11, from 1300 to 1700, with light refreshments. If you’re in the area, feel free to drop by as I’d love to see you! This is all happening at the Kirkland Library, in the next town over from mine but still on the Island of Montréal. (1)
Then, for the two weeks after this art show, the Artists’ Circle will be featuring paintings by the other half of our group – at the same library. That second half of our Late Summer & Early Fall Art Show will run from September 20th through to October 1, 2022.
There will also be another Vernissage or reception, for this second group of paintings in this ‘split-up’ art exhibition, on Sunday September 25th. None of my paintings will be on display for the final two weeks of this art show, as the the last two weeks will feature a different set of artists. I’ll try to make it to the Vernissage anyhow, as it’s always nice to chat with and support other artists!
The timing of this two-part art show is fantastic, given that September is Pain Awareness Month. And I suppose this is a good time to mention that I was diagnosed with a rare disease named CRPS back in 2016, because I use my art to raise awareness of chronic pain and of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
Formerly called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), CRPS is an autoimmune and neuro-inflammatory disease that causes a long list of symptoms. These include localized neuropathic pain, skin issues, bone pain, spasms and tremors, and both deformity and pain in the affected joints. In my case, these symptoms are primarily focused on my right hand and arm.
CRPS also causes more systemic health issues, like my autoimmune fatigue and the ‘mild cognitive impairment’ (MCI) with which I was diagnosed at the end of 2018. That last symptom, the MCI, is the one that stole my beloved career in bioethics. Overall, there are a long list of symptoms that simply don’t seem to belong together, and the condition is considered difficult to treat:
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a disease that has perplexed clinicians and basic scientists alike…
It can manifest in any given individual, although it is more common in females, and many of its features are difficult to explain on a pathological level.” (2)
Last year, with the idea of harnessing art-learning as brain plasticity, I transitioned to watercolour painting from the amateur nature photography that I’d been doing prior to developing CRPS. My hope is that this constant skills-learning, inherent in art practice, will help prevent any worsening of my cognitive issues over time.
And, of course, I use my art to increase awareness of CRPS and other chronic pain conditions – and of their impact on so many people and families. For more on how I use art to raise awareness of pain, you can read a brief feature that was published in The Suburban – the province of Québec’s largest weekly newspaper, based right here in Montréal – from this past August: click here.
As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Feel free to reach out over on Instagram or Twitter with any comments. I love hearing from you, but had to disable the Comments feature here on the blog, as it’s too much for me to handle with my mild cognitive impairment from CRPS. Keep safe, stay well, and take the time to look after your mental health.
References:
(1) Artists’ Circle of the West Island. Artists’ Circle Fall 2022 Exhibition. Calendar (webpage). Undated. Online. Accessed 07 Sep 2022:
https://www.artistscirclewestisland.ca/calendar
(2) Frank Birklein, Violeta Dimova. Complex regional pain syndrome-up-to-date. PAIN Reports; PAIN Clinical Updates. Nov/Dec 2017. Volume 2; Issue 6; page e624. doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000000624. Online. Accessed 07 Sep 2022:
https://journals.lww.com/painrpts/Fulltext/2017/12000/Complex_regional_pain_syndrome_up_to_date.8.aspx?WT.mc_id=HPxADx20100319xMP