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ICU NURSE CREATES AN ART SIDE HUSTLE TO FEED HER CREATIVITY

written by CYDNEY HOEFLE photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

QUILLING IS AN ART FORM that involves the use of strips of colorful paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative 3D designs. Though it’s been around for centuries, few artists turn to the medium, especially in Montana.

For Kelly Bourgeois, it’s a unique way to relieve the stress of the day and express herself creatively

Kelly is a registered nurse at Billing’s Clinic, but, on the side, she’s an accomplished contemporary artist.

“I don’t choose easy paths,” Kelly says with a laugh. “It’s taken a long time to get where I am today, but if I can do it, I hope to inspire others to do it too.”

As an ICU nurse, Kelly is constantly helping patients who are enduring life-threatening situations. Difficult diagnoses and horrific accidents are part of her day-to-day life. To keep the stress from creeping into her personal life, Kelly took up art.

“It began as something I did just for me,” she says. “I started painting with watercolors. Bold, colorful flowers on 30x40-inch canvases. It was a release for me.” noticed her talent, encouraged her to market what she painted. She did. And then, quilling came into the picture.

“Quilling for me is an opportunity to do something I love while I can still visit with my kids or talk to my husband. It’s rhythmic, like knitting. And for me very therapeutic.”

The rolled pieces of paper then go on to create bold and colorful works of art on a variety of “canvases.”

“One of the first ones I did was on a piece of discarded glass I dug out of the dumpster,” she says. “I love recycling and quilling allows that.” Another piece was crafted on using an old Parcheesi board.

“Quilling is like a puzzle,” she says. “All the pieces need to fit together perfectly. When the colors and the composition start to flow and it clicks, it’s really beautiful.”

Much as she loves being an artist, Kelly doesn’t see herself completely outside of the medical field. She’s especially drawn to whole body wellness and believes there’s much that can be done to help people with their mental and physical state of mind.

“Even a minor step forward is major. I tell them, ‘We have to work on today, don’t worry about tomorrow, we can’t give up today.’”

As she speaks, you can feel the positive energy radiating from her. “I love being in healthcare, especially in times of crisis, which there is an abundance of out there,” she says. “I try to make sure my patients feel valued, even if they are there because of really bad decisions. We’re all just trying to survive and move forward.”

Kelly started her education with a fine arts degree and a master’s in finance and non-profit work. She was working at a contemporary art museum in Helena when she realized that her heart for helping others wasn’t being used fully. So, she went back to school.

“I started out in radiology,” she says. “I worked for seven years and had both of my kids, but I needed more interaction with people than doing MRIs. So, I returned to school once again and received my Registered Nursing degree.” Eventually, she’d love to obtain a doctorate in holistic wellness. “We need to learn how to take care of ourselves,” she says. “There’s so much depression and mental illness and not enough people to help with it.” she hopes inspires others, especially women, to step out and find the artist in themselves, to her personal dealings with her patients.

“I believe that everyone is an ‘artist,’” she says. “We self-limit ourselves when we don’t capitalize on our talents — be that painting, writing, cooking. There’s something inside every person that can be expressed in positive ways.” She adds, “I do art for me. But seriously, if I can inspire others to do something, or by creating a piece of art that others enjoy, then I have changed the world, even a small part of it!” ✻

to explore2 KELLY BOURGEOIS’S

ART, visit part of her collection at Roots Garden Center located at 2147 Poly Drive. Her exhibit will be on display until the end of October. You can also visit her website at KellyBourgeois.com.