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Living with a rare disease means having frequent medical appointments, lab tests, and other hospital visits. As a former bioethics professional, I have to admit that I'd become quite used to these kinds of clinical and soulless spaces.

But now – as an emerging artist – I can't help but notice how visually unwelcoming or even intimidating these spaces are, for many patients. So I'm always happy to see attempts being made to change this, like today.

Just look at the stunning results of this "intervention" or “makeover” by the Art for Healing Foundation at the Queen Elizabeth Health Complex in Montréal, housed in a former hospital. This space has been transformed into a much more welcoming place, by turning the corridors and waiting areas almost into small art gallery areas. This was definitely an enormous improvement on the previous bare walls and occasional peeling healthcare posters.

Who knows, maybe one day some of my paintings will find their way onto the walls of local hospitals or health centres. In the meantime, I'm a member of the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) in the United States - sadly not yet in Canada - and learning baout how the arts can help transform healthcare environments for the better. And I'm continuing with my own #ArtDespitePain initiative, for chronic pain advocacy and awareness.

Speaking of which, I noticed today that the elastics in my dynamic splint for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) seem to echo the lines running across the clouds in the closest painting in this photo...