Celebrating Kelly Bigelow Becerra

Kelly Bigelow Becerra passed away in the company of loved ones at her home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on July 8, 2024. Kelly was a bright light, a loving and outgoing person who had a way of making everyone around her feel like the most important person in her orbit. She leaves behind so many who adored her and were warmed by the light of which she was made. Her candor, her fierce belief in curiosity and possibility, her truth and empathy, her humor and pluck, her deep, unwavering friendship, and her extraordinary grace in coping with life’s hardships and challenges made her easy to love and adore.

To honor Kelly’s memory, donations to this campaign will help preserve her pioneering art for future generations and support the art education of the students in the Jonesville School District.

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Kelly Bigelow Becerra is a super talented, creative genius with a very big heart. She is a loving soul with a magnetic personality, whose kindness and desire to inspire people around her is very rarely found in this world. She has dedicated her life to the Arts through her artwork, films, designs and teaching. Her enthusiasm for art and life is infectious. She has shared her love of art through public speaking, teaching and mentoring so many students, fellow artists and frankly, anyone that would listen, helping them see the art and design in the world around them. She is adored by her friends & community and has given back in so many ways and now she needs our help. 

She has recently gone public with the news that her STAGE FOUR CANCER is TERMINAL and progressing quickly and that her Doctor’s prognosis is that she may not be with us for very long.

• To learn about her cancer please scroll down to the section titled "The Shock of Terminal Cancer".

This GoFundMe is to support her so that she can continue her fight, ease her mind and fulfill many of her goals.

• To learn more please scroll down to the section titled “What this Go Fund Me is for”

 

About Kelly (for those who may not know):

From her early years growing up in the rural cornfields of Michigan, Kelly’s talent, intelligence, determination, and strength of spirit have brought her very far. She is an accomplished Artist, Filmmaker, and Designer. Her artwork has won many awards and recognitions throughout her career and been shown in major institutions like the Aldrich Museum and Eastern Connecticut State University as well as being in their collection. Her award-winning films, that she created with her film partner Roland, have been shown in festivals all over the world including The Sundance Film Festival. Kelly’s freelance graphic design and illustrations have won awards as well and her design work for the City of New Haven has become an iconic part of the visual landscape of the city. Her work includes the Made in New Haven logo, as well as the logo and branding for the Boathouse on Canal Dock, Downtown Crossing, Long Wharf, the Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Project Storefronts and so much more. 

She has been sharing her knowledge of art since she was in high school where she enthusiastically would explain everything she had learned to the younger students on their field trips to places like The Toledo Art Institute and the Detroit Museum of Art. During her college years at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, she volunteered time to act as a tour guide in the art museum and around the town when her rural Michigan high school was visiting on their yearly Chicago field trip. Kelly has given back to fellow artist, friends, family and her community for most of her life. She has remained teaching and mentoring in some form through all of her life - teaching Adult Education classes during college while tutoring many students after school, later on she became an etching professor at Western Connecticut State University. When she found out her home town school was going to have a math teacher for Art classes, she volunteered to come home for 8 weeks and be the substitute teacher for the middle school students. She taught them so much in a short time including the basics of portrait drawing and the secrets of Design, to this day she still gets messages from students who say they see the world differently because of what she shared with them. 

Kelly brings people together:

Her natural charisma, indelible optimism, and her warm loving nature shows itself time and time again in her ability to inspire people to work together for whatever the project or occasion. Kelly truly cares for those around her. She is a strong, loyal and true friend to so many and is always there for those in tough times.

Now those tough times have come to her. 

The Shock of Terminal Cancer:

So many of us are in shock after Kelly’s recent public tragic announcement of her Stage 4, terminal, incurable, extremely rare Cancer, as well as the devastating prognosis from her doctors that she has a year to live. Kelly now needs us to come together to help and support her, to give her peace of mind and let her know that she is not alone.  

Most of us cannot fathom what Kelly has been privately enduring over the past five+ years after first receiving the news of the rare incurable cancer spreading to all sections of her lungs.. making her stage 4 cancer status official in November of 2018. She was told she had time as this slow growing cancer, (Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Bartholin Gland) grew much slower than other cancers. However, it was also incurable, no chemo or radiation would work directly on it, and due this and a few factors, including a bleed risk, Kelly is not eligible for clinical trials. 

After processing all this, Kelly decided to keep this news private and continue to live her life as best she could. She didn’t want to be seen differently. She didn’t want people to know how hard her lungs were making her work to belt out the big songs at karaoke, that unfortunately she can no longer sing. She did not want her cast and crew to know how hard it was some days due to pain to continue co-directing her film, which she worked tirelessly on, even working to edit the film in her hospital room. She did not want to share the details of just how bad the mind-numbing pain was and how many seriously painful surgeries she was enduring. She instead pushed forward with her life in every way that she could and took up roller skating, a passion from when she was a child. She skated 444 days in a row through unbelievable nerve pain caused by recurrences of the cancer and did not stop till she was admitted to the hospital for surgery …and even then she skated 7 days after surgery. Thanks to her amazing Doctor she now skates through the hallways of the hospital whenever medically permissible, although due to decreased lung capacity skating is a challenge these days. (See footage of Kelly Roller Skating in the hospital )

Cancer Growing Faster:

Now, however, Kelly’s cancer has begun to grow much faster and her symptoms have become much harder to manage and to mask. When asked about her experience as her lungs have been getting much worse over the past year, Kelly said "I know this is all going to come as a huge shock to everyone. Unless you have been around me lately, you wouldn’t notice how I can’t catch my breath if I walk and talk at the same time. Unless you have been skating with me lately, you wouldn’t know that I only go around a couple times before I have to stand on the side on the rink, gasping for air through my mask, watching the other skaters. Unless you have been around me lately, you wouldn’t know how much I cough or how I struggle to catch my breath sometimes. Unless you have been around me, you wouldn't know any of this, because who posts pictures/videos of themselves coughing or being out of breath? >.<” 

Oxygen:

In the last two weeks, Kelly has had to begin using oxygen, both at home and while out & about as her lungs can no longer keep up with her. When asked about how she feels about this, she said "It's a big life change, and a lot to get used to. Honestly it's hard not to worry that people will see the oxygen before they see me. Then there's just the practicals of it. It's really difficult to time your life based on how much battery your oxygen machine has left, or how much oxygen is in the tank. It's a very weird feeling to feel better when you use it and also frustrated by its limitations. But I will adapt and as soon as I can get a lighter machine, I will be skating with it and posting photos & videos again. I will skate and make art as long as I am able."

Monthly Surgical Interventions:

For the past year, Kelly has been receiving monthly bronchoscopy procedures, where surgeons use lasers and cryo (or as Kelly likes to say Fire & Ice) to burn or freeze the cancer in her bronchial tubes to keep her airways open. Without these monthly procedures Kelly would be unable to breathe. While these procedures help her immensely they also take a monthly toll and require recovery time. 

More Bad News and Chemo:

As we write this, Kelly has also learned that she has two recurrences of her cancer in her pelvis that her doctors have said are not surgically removable without causing great damage to Kelly’s ability to walk and possibly losing the use of one of her legs. Due to this her doctors have decided to start Kelly on a micro-dose of chemotherapy. The micro-dose will not work directly on her cancer but it may work on the surrounding blood vessels and keep the cancer from growing. But this is a very long shot. 

Kelly now faces the possible rapid decline in her health in the not so distant future, while enduring monthly procedures as well as the fatigue of chemotherapy. Due to all of this, she is only able to work intermittently. After years of major surgeries and lengthy hospital stays, as well as surviving through the pandemic, Kelly’s savings has been exhausted. She needs our help and support now more than ever.

Kelly’s Legacy- Artwork, the Film:

We all wish to leave the world a better place and Kelly has so much to share. As one of the pioneers of digital arts, it is very important to preserve and celebrate her life’s work. Every effort will be made to secure homes for her artwork so that they will be secure throughout time.

There have been many inquires about the recent success of her movie. While the movie has received much attention and been shown in festivals all over the world, the movie has not yet made any money and has no distribution deal at this time. The movie and related properties to the movie, may in the future have some monetary profits but that unfortunately might not happen in Kelly’s lifetime. Due to this, as part of her end-of-life planning, Kelly intends to set up an arts scholarship in her name at Jonesville High School in her hometown in Michigan to help kids study the Arts. It is her intention that her share of the revenue from the movie go toward this scholarship. The scholarship is something that she has dreamt and talked about setting up since she was in high school and it will make one of her most lasting contributions to the next generation of aspiring artists.

What this GoFundMe is for

This GoFundMe is to support her so that she can continue her fight, ease her mind and fulfill many of her goals.

The funds will be used to:

• Secure the costs of Kelly’s live/work studio in Bridgeport for the next year.

• Provide for any care and assistance she might need once she starts hospice.

• Aid in funeral and burial expenses.

• Assist in legal fees for end of life planning

• Assure the cataloging, archiving, and protection her artwork

• Support travel expenses which would allow Kelly to visit her home in Michigan to see her family and friends, if medically permissible.

• Establish the Kelly Bigelow Becerra Art Scholarship at Jonesville High School. 

No one should have to fear losing their home because they’re dealing with a terrible disease but this is the world we live in. And to get help and support you shouldn’t have to be talented or giving or smart or outgoing or the kind of person that just radiates light and brings in everyone she meets…. But Kelly is all of those things too. 

Most importantly KELLY IS NOT GIVING UP! She will continue to be led by her tenacious and shining attitude that has kept her going thus far, despite everything. Let’s give her peace of mind so she can focus on fighting.

While none of us want to contemplate a world without Kelly in it, since she has come out publicly about her illness, we now have the chance to rally around her and make a difference in her life.

Let's help her fight to stay here with us… every little bit counts. <3

For more pictures of Kelly's life please visit Artstarkelly on Instagram

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Testimonials

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Testimonial of an ArtStar:

I have known Kelly since middle school. Simultaneously an eternity and a blink ago. She has ALWAYS been a shiny, fun, deeply compassionate person to everyone she came into contact with. Never shy to make friends with new people or help anyone in need, she tends to be something akin to an unofficial mayor/mother duck everywhere she goes by virtue of her caring nature. For as long as I've known her, she has been an "outside the box" kind of thinker. An intelligent and unconventional mind processing the world in her own wonderful way. She is and always has been deeply passionate about art and is a genius talent, creating her own spaces in the art community while helping and encouraging artists around her. A powerhouse of talent, when she latches onto an interest she always works at it until she masters it, whether it be various artistic media, musical instruments, sewing, cooking/baking etc etc etc......etc (because there is always something going on with this woman) :) Her sense of wonder, amazement, and beauty is inspiring and refreshing in the weary and worn world most of us soak in.

It's difficult to distill this human into a paragraph or two. I could easily write volumes. It's easy to love her with all your heart, and I can't imagine my life without Kelly in it. It would definitely be a duller space and have many fewer colorful adventures. Her warmth, charm, and humor have propped me up through many tough times. I'm certain it sounds like a bunch of hyperbole, but if you've ever been fortunate enough to spend any time in Kelly's presence, you'll know I'm scarcely scratching the surface here. Her strength and ability to persevere are mystifying and just go to show, you can't take the shine from this ArtStar!

Benjamin L

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I met Kelly 19 years ago when we moved in across the hall from each other. I was an engineer hoping to be an artist. But I had no - NO - idea what it actually meant to be an artist. I naively, and stubbornly, thought that being an engineer qualified me as an artist. Then I started to talk to Kelly. She and I talked for hours about what it meant to be an artist and how it wasn’t just about what I was making, but about why I was making it and how I should look at it with an eye on advancing its form. Thinking back to our early conversations and the nonsense I spewed, I am so thankful that Kelly continued to talk with meabout art. Heck, I’m thankful she continued talking to me at all.

Today I am an artist, and I owe so much of that to Kelly. Her consistent, persistent, and always tolerant friendship is a privilege for which I will be forever grateful.

Kelly, you are a star.

Joe P.

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Kelly has profoundly impacted my life, and I feel incredibly fortunate to call her my friend. Her art and films have inspired and moved me deeply, and I will always treasure the opportunities I’ve had to experience their unfolding firsthand. I met Kelly in my hometown of Bridgeport CT, and later found myself in Michigan, her birthplace, and at SAIC, where she honed her craft. It's a joy to share these connections with her. Kelly has made Bridgeport a better place, which is no small feat for an artist in a city that can be tough and spirit-breaking, and her mark is left indelibly both upon the city’s character and everyone fortunate enough to have met her.

Kelly is a force of nature, and I’ve always been in awe of her unbreakable spirit, her courage in the face of mortality, and the way her wisdom and humor always shines through. I am grateful for the memories we have shared and the artful way she has metaphorically and literally roller-skated over much of life’s hardscape, every single day. Kelly brings so much light and laughter into the world and it's hard for me to even begin to fathom what she is facing down so bravely now. Despite everything she's going through, she still finds a way to create, to bring beauty and meaning into the world, and to nurture those around her. It's truly magnificent to behold.

End-of-life logistical challenges can be overwhelming, especially for artists. I hope we can take some of that weight off her shoulders because many of us are fully vested in wanting to both care for her now and ensure that future generations can experience the power and beauty of her work. I write to ask you to consider contributing to efforts to aid Kelly’s health and the quality of her last months as she tries to stay afloat while preparing for hospice. She is juggling so much precariously as her illness becomes more grave and truly needs our help. I wish that we, her friends, supporters, and anyone who has experienced the hardship of managing such challenges could come together and give back even a fraction of the love and light that Kelly has brought into our lives. She deserves that and so much more.

Keith R.

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I hope you have someone in your life like Kelly.

I met Kelly roughly twenty years ago in college. She started as my printmaking teacher but very quickly became a role model and friend.

Kelly is inspirational and encouraging. She truly wants the best for everyone and will challenge you to be your best self. She has an incredible smile and laugh, even if she is critiquing my artwork or my personal life she does it with an assuring smile.

Kelly’s energy soaks into your core- whether it be in the classroom, an art museum, or just sitting at a table for dinner. Kelly makes you feel loved, safe, cared for.

Certainly, she is a strong component in my decision to teach art and set an outstanding example for me. Let’s show Kelly the love and encouragement she gave to me and every other person who has crossed her path.

Sam S.

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My name is Bryan Playford and I am a former high school classmate and colleague of Kelly’s. When I served as principal of Jonesville Middle School and Pathways Alternative School in Jonesville, Michigan, I was in need of a long-term substitute art teacher. Kelly’s passion is art. Despite the fact she lives on the East coast, she put her life on pause and came back to Jonesville to serve the students of her alma mater. This was a big ask, but Kelly was eager to give back and she did such a tremendous job, especially for having no formal educational training. I saw Kelly share her passion for art and inspire so many of our students. Her passion was literally contagious – students who seemed as if they could not be inspired at first, some who even opposed the high standard she expected, eventually came to love her classes. Since that time, I have stepped back into the classroom, teaching a class that deals with life after high school, career pathways, etc. Kelly has continued to volunteer to work with my students, talk to them through Zoom if they desire, and provide advice for those going into the fields of art or film. Unfortunately, I just learned a few days ago that Kelly’s cancer was diagnosed stage four and terminal with a very unfavorable timeline. With her last few months, Kelly wants to return home and establish a scholarship for Jonesville High School seniors who are going into the arts. After many surgeries, medical bills have mounted up making daily life a struggle, and the possibility of her wishes an even greater challenge. Please consider a monetary donation to help Kelly overcome her financial obstacles and realize her goals. This would be an ultimate testimony to the selflessness Kelly has shown to others throughout her life and provide a lasting impact on the two things she loves so much: her hometown and the students who live here. Please consider sharing this to as many people as possible. Thank you for your support.

Bryan P.

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I met Kelly in 7th grade when I was the new kid in small town, Jonesville, MI. It didn't take long for Kelly and I to become great friends. We had a lot in common, both of us very social, big personalities, kind of goofy, and a little weird. Kelly definitely had the bigger personality though. She was loud, bursting with energy all the time. A shining star in front of everyone. She displayed so much confidence in who she was. She seemed fearless and she was not afraid to be who she was. Not being herself didn't seem to be an option, she was 100% true to who she was! She was real, and that never wavered. Throughout school, we spent a lot of time together. Our group of friends seemed to always be together. There's not a lot to do in a town like Jonesville, but we made the best of it, skating at the rink, cruising in Hillsdale, just hanging out acting stupid and silly; we were just teenagers after all; and having Kelly as a friend, we were always laughing.

Being around Kelly meant always being around creativity. Her art skills were crazy, she could do, make, draw, paint, sculpt anything. Her imagination for creating was beautiful, inspiring, unique, and sometimes a little out there. One year our group did secret Santa of gag gifts. Well Kelly had me, and she made me glow in the dark underwear with targets and arrows on them. They were amazing, hilarious, really glowed in the dark, and were kind of crunchy to wear, lol.

Then came graduation, and Kelly was ready to make her move. She always knew what she wanted, she had the drive, and she was going for it. She got out, started her dream, and started to make her magic.

We still saw each other a lot over those years through college, and a few after. It was really amazing to see Kelly put her mad skills to work. Her creativity was endless. Getting out of small town USA, seemed to actually make her bigger and brighter. She was experiencing life and taking it all in and putting that into her work. I knew she was going far. Her drive was never ending. She knew who she was, who she wanted to be, and she was going there.

As it does for all of us, life happens. We lost track of each other for some years in the middle of living but we reconnected after a few years. We spent time catching up online, then the call, that lasted forever it seemed. It was like we had never lost touch! It was great to hear about all the wonderful things Kelly had been up to and what she had in the works. Since then we've stayed in close contact; talking, texting, a few visits to Connecticut, planned trips back to Michigan at the same time. It is kind of like were back in high school, except with a lot more experience and responsibility.

When Kelly shared her cancer diagnosis with me, I was so scared for her. A rare and unique cancer; for a rare and unique person. What amazed me was her optimism. She hasn't let this bring her down at all. Through it all she has continued to live life to the fullest. To know Kelly is to really know joy. She makes the best of everything. She is fun, exciting, energetic, and shining. Rarely a dull moment. She went on a daily roller skating challenge, skating something like 444 days in a row, only missing a day when the cancer stopped her. Afterwards, she was back it, and continues to skate today. She made being in the hospital seem like a fun stay out of town. Decorating her room, taking everything she needed to feel at home, skating in the halls; not a typical hospital stay. To her, her diagnosis has been something that is part of her. It's not something that happened to her, it's not who she is. I think that is why, until recently, she really didn't share much about her diagnosis with many. She really has just wanted to continue to live, to the fullest, with all the happiness and joy her life has. I can honestly say that I am so proud of her for this battle she has fought, and how she has fought it. I don't think most of us could handle it this way, I don't think I could. She inspires me to be better, to be more positive, to make the best of every situation, every not great that happens, everything.

The movie! Kelly put over 10 years of her life into making “Agatha”. Can you even imagine putting 10 years into one project? Her dedication and commitment to it are quite impressive. All that time, all that hard work, and a eerily beautiful masterpiece at the end. She really is still working on it still, promoting it, working on the soundtrack. The movie has won a ton of awards. The movie hasn't sold or made money, but hopefully at some point it will.

For as long as I can remember, Kelly has talked about wanting to start an art scholarship back at our High School. It is her dream to be able to help other young artists from our home town make their dreams come true and to inspire others with their art. If the movie does make money at some point, it will go to this scholarship.

Kelly does have a lot of worries, and a lot to take care of with the limited time she has left. All of her optimism and positive outlook doesn't change the fact that her cancer is terminal. She knows that her time is limited, and she needs help to make a few simple wishes come true. She wants to be able to take care of her funeral and final wishes so that her aging mother doesn't have to deal with it on top of the loss of her only child. She needs to be able to archive her art work, and she needs the hard drives to do it. She has a lot of legal paperwork to be completed and lawyers to handle it. She wants to make sure that after she is gone, her art is protected, donated, and sold to benefit her scholarship. She also needs to make sure that any money that is made from Agatha will go towards her scholarship. There is a huge cost involved in just setting this all up. Finally, She wants to be able to stay in her home until the end. I think that for most of us, that is what we would want. She's not giving up, she is still living to the fullest, still skating, still doing the day to day the best she can. She sees each day as a gift and looks forward to the next. Even though the doctors have given her a timeline, no one knows God plan. She plans to take every day she has, live it to the fullest, and fight for the next day. She is still 100% Kelly, remember the cancer is part of her, but it does not define who she is. Unfortunately, fighting for each day, and living it to the fullest, the truth is she doesn't have much time left, and I am asking you to help her.

Three wishes....Two selfless acts! One, to protect her art and Agatha so that it will one day benefit others by giving back to the small town community were we grew up. Two, to lessen the burden on her mother in the end and have all arrangements planned and paid for. One ask for herself; to be able to stay in her home. Please help if you can.

Help Kelly stay in the comfort of her home as her end comes; help ease her mothers burden by allowing Kelly to take care of all her arrangements ahead of time; and help with the legal costs of managing her artwork and Agatha so that the talented artists of the next generations see their dreams come true with the assistance of a yearly scholarship.

Jesse C.

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It is with heavy heart that I write this Testimonial for my dear friend and incredibly talented artist Kelly Bigallow Becerra. As I reflect on the indelible impact that she has had on my life and the lives of those around her, I am filled with both immense gratitude and deep sadness. The news of her illness has shaken me, but her unwavering strength and grace in the face of adversity continues to inspire me everyday

Throughout the journey of Kelly’s illness, I have witnessed firsthand the immense courage and resilience that she possesses. Her unwavering spirit and determination have been an inspiration to everyone that knows her. In the face of her disease, Kelly’s creative spirit has remained unyielding. Despite the physical pain and emotional changes she endures, her infectious laughter, compassionate heart, and enduring optimism have remained unchanged. In the same way, Kelly’s unwavering commitment to her craft and creativity is awe-inspiring, while her continued ability to inspire others is a testament to her strength and resilience.

Kelly’s art has been a source of solace and inspiration to countless individuals, touching their lives in ways that she may never fully comprehend. Her ability to capture the essence of beauty, vulnerability, and the human experience has left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. Through art, she has challenged societal norms, sparked conversations and reminded us the importance of self expressions and creativity.

Her ability to find beauty and joy in the simplest moments has taught me the true meaning of gratitude and appreciation. Kellys resolute faith and belief in the power of love and human connection have touched the lives of so many. In the darkest of times Kelly has been a beacon of light, reminding me of the preciousness of life and the importance of cherishing every single moment. Her strength and resilience have not only impacted my own life, but have also brought people together in the most profound ways. The way she has rallied her loved ones, her friends, and even strangers to stand by her side in this difficult journey is a testament to the incredible person she is. Her ability to unite people, to inspire compassion and selflessness, is a gift that will continue to ripple through our lives long after she is gone.

As we honor Kelly's legacy, I want to take a moment to address a cause that has been established to help fund hospice care for this amazing individual. By donating to this fund, we aim to ensure that Kelly will have access to the level of care, comfort, and support that she deserves during her final months with us. As she faces the challenges that lie ahead, your donations will also help secure her artistic legacy, as your generosity will live on through her work and continue to inspire future generations of artists, encouraging them to push boundaries, explore new horizons, and create fearlessly.

As Kelly faces the inevitable challenges that lie ahead, her spirit, laughter, and unwavering love will forever be etched in our hearts. Throught my time knowing her, she has taught me to embrace life fully, to cherish the relationships we hold dear, and to find strength in the face of adversity. With your donations, her legacy will continue to shape us, guide us, and remind us to live with the same zest and passion that she has shown us throughout her life.

In this testimonial I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of knowing Kelly, for the joy that she has brought into my life, and for the lessons that she has taught me. She has shown me what it truly means to live a life filled with purpose and meaning, and for that I am eternally grateful.

With all my love and admiration.

M. DeRosa

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