We are proud to share Through the Darkness, a powerful watercolour piece created by Natalie Boivin, a member of the CAPA community, and featured in the exhibition at the Canadian Pain Society meeting as part of Shaping the Future of Pain Science. This piece won first place in the exhibition competition!

In Natalie’s own words:

“This is a watercolour illustrating a person impacted by pain. It depicts the affected person (dark blue footprints) walking in the snow, deep into the forest. The dark blue of the woods represents the fear and loneliness sometimes felt by the person living with pain. The vibrant red and orange represent the burning sensation often associated with pain. The sun is the wonderful aftermath when the pain dissipates.

You will notice that the person ends up walking into the woods alone, however there are other foot (& paw) prints that represent the support that accompany the affected person for parts of the journey. The painting illustrates that the journey through pain is a myriad of things…it is dark, shared, lonely, and physically taxing. But most importantly, the painting shows a glimmer of hope as there is always a way through the darkness.”

We thank Natalie for sharing this deeply personal reflection and for bringing the lived experience of pain into conversations shaping the future of pain science.