Sandra Woods
Art despite pain

In the news

(posted on 16 Nov 2022)

Another 'challenge' art project, an almost 12" x 17" collage. The concept was to show why my personal motto remains "Art Despite Pain", and that my CRPS rare disease and chronic pain impact pretty much every aspect of my life - and my husband's as well.
My art practice is truly intertwined with my chronic pain patient reality, in part because I began learning to paint last year as a form of movement-therapy for right hand/arm CRPS - and as brain plasticity training for my CRPS-related 'mild cognitive impairment'.
Every aspect of our lives is affected by this medical condition... From what we eat as part of my mostly anti-inflammatory diet, to the extra rest and wellness requirements of an autoimmune and neuro-inflammatory chronic illness, to changes in how we exercise and which outdoor sports I can still do. 
As an example, I ride my bike using only one hand, but haven't (yet!) figured out a good way to cross-country ski that way.
There's also the difficulty of traveling with a rare disease (not that we've gone anywhere since the start of the pandemic!), and my personal need to find beauty and joy in every day.
We also find ways to integrate nature into our lives, even on days when my disease is at its worst, because our shared love of nature is at the very roots of our relationship - and of our shared well-being. 

Collage is usually fun to do, but this one took much longer than I'd expected. It also carried an emotional toll, although I am glad of the experience. And for the opportunity to visually link my art practice and my chronic pain patient advocacy activities, much more directly than usual, in this piece.
I'm pleased to have created it, but now feel a need to hide this collage away for a few days before taking another look at it.
Is there anything in YOUR life that you'd like to express, in a collage format? This is something that almost anyone can do, without any of the more 'technical' art supplies that I used. Start with a blank page, a pair of scissors, a stack of magazines or other pieces to cut up, a good-quality glue stick - and some imagination!