Paula Giovanni-Morris is an award-winning artist (working primarily in fiber) and a nurse practitioner employed at Poudre Valley Health System's Mountain Crest Behavioral Healthcare Center in Fort Collins, CO, and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains in Denver. Her work has appeared in numerous galleries and national and international juried art shows, as well as in Shuttle Spindle and Dyepot.
She says, "Shattered culminated from my work with troubled adolescents in a residential unit at Mountain Crest. Most of them have multiple issues that can include polysubstance abuse, major depression with suicidal ideation or suicide attempts or both, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. In making this piece I was thinking about these very ill children and their inability to control what lies inside and takes charge of them.
"I also use art as a way to connect to these adolescents. I am continually impressed with both their artistic talents and the way their art gives us insight into their pathologies."
Art of Nursing is coordinated by Sylvia Foley, senior editor: [email protected].