Nikola’s Story

Living with cystinuria, a genetic kidney disorder, has brought its share of unexpected turns. After years of struggling with kidney stones, the accumulating damage ultimately led to kidney failure. In June 2025, at the age of 39, I had my right kidney removed. But the chapter of my life I want to share really gained its color over the past year, navigating the realities of dialysis since February 2024.

Dialysis demands hours of stillness, and in early 2025, I found a way to reclaim that time. Sitting in the clinic, I picked up oil painting for the very first time. I needed a setup that was small and manageable, so I started painting inside little mint tins, sticking tiny canvases right to the lids. Creating these miniature pocket paintings became my window to coping with a difficult situation. I typically finish about three oil paintings a week during my treatments. "I have it all portable for me to do this type of fine art, but in a very unconventional setting."

What started as a quiet, personal outlet in Longueuil has grown into something beautiful. Taking these miniature works from the dialysis chair all the way to a gallery has been surreal. Over the past year, I had my very first solo gallery show—titled "The Pocket Horizon"—which ran for two months at Gallery 1624 in Springfield, Illinois. The journey even caught the attention of Pamela Pagano at CityNews Montreal, who featured my artwork and story on the evening news.

When I reflect on this journey, I realize how much it has shaped my outlook. "It's been a blessing in a lot of ways. I try not to look at the bad sides of it because it really doesn't outnumber the good stuff at all." Art has given me a new lens through which to view my health and my future, proving that even in the smallest spaces—like a mint tin—there is room for an expansive horizon.