Exploring art therapy for chronic pain: how watercolor painting helped one woman cope, heal, and raise awareness.
By Sandra Woods, who appeared on the award-winning TV series “You Can’t Ask That” (CBC Television), for an episode on chronic pain.
A lifelong art lover, I’d dreamt of learning to paint with watercolors en plein air, like my art idols: Emily Carr, John Singer Sargent, Tom Thompson, The Group of Seven, and the Impressionists. But the reality was that I couldn’t draw a stick figure! I live with two different rare diseases, one of which caused a mild cognitive impairment in 2018 and severe chronic pain in the bones, joints, nerves, and skin of my right hand and arm since 2016. Of course, I’m right-handed.
In January 2021 I read about researchers using art practice as a pain-management tool, which was the push I needed. I began watching Art School Live, subscribed to PleinAir Magazine, and signed up for many online watercolor courses and workshops.
Realizing quickly that drawing was essential to composing decent paintings, I taught myself to sketch, then I combined my love of outdoor sports with my new love, watercolor painting, by bringing my watercolor supplies on bike rides – and using my bike as an easel whenever I needed rest breaks. Montréal is an island city, so there’s always a lake, river, or stream nearby, and these are my favorite places for plein air painting.
Now an award-winning artist, I use my artworks to raise awareness of chronic pain through my #ArtDespitePain initiative. In my volunteer work in pain-patient advocacy, veterans’ organizations, and as a Patient Partner (co-author) in pain research projects and healthcare organizations, I also encourage others living with pain to try creative pursuits.
Connect with the artist at www.sandrawoods.art.
Don’t miss your opportunity to create lifetime memories at the Plein Air Convention & Expo! All training sessions are indoors on giant, high-def screens, with plein air paint-outs in the afternoons. Beginners and pros feel right at home, so register at PleinAirConvention.com to join us.
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Blog post prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
God bless you dear and the work you do. What great encouragement and hope you bring to those disheartened by pain.