entrepreneur

INSPIRES. WE ARE SHOWING YOU HOW ART HAS THE POWER TO HEAL. OUR ERIN BURNETT JOINS US NOW IN STUDIO. ERIN, YOU SPOKE WITH A TRIAD WOMAN WHO IS HELPING OTHERS FIND HEALING THEMSELVES. THATS RIGHT. A CANCER DIAGNOSIS ALMOST MADE KELLY JOEL LOSE HER ARTISTIC VISION. BUT A GREENSBORO NONPROFIT HELPED REIGNITE THAT SPARK. AND NOW SHES RETURNING THE FAVOR. LOCAL ARTIST KELLY JOEL SAYS A PAINTBRUSH DID MORE FOR HER THAN COLORS ON A PAGE. I WAS DIAGNOSED NOVEMBER 28TH, 2022 WITH ADVANCED OVARIAN CANCER. I STILL HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE. HER DIAGNOSIS LEFT HER FEELING UNINSPIRED, AND I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS KIND OF MENTORING ME THROUGH MY CANCER AND SHE SAID, KELLY, CREATE, MAKE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, GET OUT YOUR PENS, GET OUT YOUR PAINTS, AND AND JUST MAKE SOMETHING. AND I JUST, I JUST COULDNT DO IT UNTIL SHE FOUND HIRSCH WELLNESS, A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT OFFERS FREE ART AND FITNESS CLASSES LIKE POTTERY AND YOGA FOR PEOPLE BATTLING CANCER. YOU PUT ASIDE ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF YOUR TREATMENTS, ALL THAT YOURE GOING THROUGH. YOU LEAVE IT AT THE DOOR AND YOU GO IN AND YOURE IN A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ALL UNDERSTAND. SHE EVEN TOOK A DRAWING CLASS FROM HER HOSPITAL BED AFTER A TEN HOUR SURGERY. I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT THERE DURING THAT TIME AND FOCUS AND, YOU KNOW, FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE AND JUST ENJOY CREATING AGAIN. AFTER ALMOST TWO YEARS, KELLY IS RE-INSPIRED AND IN REMISSION NOW SHES HELPING OTHERS CHANNEL THE HEALING POWER OF ART AS A TEACHER, HOSTING EDIBLE ART CLASSES. ONE OF THE FUN THINGS IS AT THE END WHEN THEY TELL ME WHAT THEYRE GOING TO DO WITH THE THINGS THAT THEY CREATED AND ARE THEY? THEY TEXT ME AND THEY TELL ME I BROUGHT IT HOME AND I TAUGHT YOU KNOW, THIS MANY PEOPLE. I TAUGHT MY MY GRANDCHILDREN HOW TO DECORATE. HIRSCH WELLNESS IS HAVING A SILENT AUCTION FEATURING WORK FROM LOCAL ARTISTS AND STUDENTS. THE PROCEEDS WILL HELP KEEP THESE ART CLASSES FREE FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEM. AND WE HAVE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BID ON ITEMS AND DONATE TO THE ORGANIZATION ON OUR WEBSITE. WXII 12.COM. IN STUDIO IM ER