Kelly grew up in the Braidwood region and her family has lived on this country since her ancestors convict emancipation. She is passionate about the land and community she is from. After leaving the area to study music and fine art where she combined sound and vision, she returned to raise a child. As well as establishing an artist run exhibition space she has taught music privately and in community workshops.

She has developed an effective method of teaching that includes different ways to approach learning, blending techniques to best suit the individual needs of the student. She encourages students to feel the music and exercise their knowledge and natural expression through improvisation, composition and repertoire. As an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, her broad knowledge allows her to teach and mentor students to read, understand and play music from a beginner through to an advanced level. Kelly currently resides in an old church at Majors Creek.

Sound is hidden in found objects, discarded rubbish, and nature’s bits and pieces. Through Project Alchemy, Kelly ran workshops that were free of charge and open to everybody. They were designed to show participants that music could be made from anything by anyone!

The workshops were held at small country halls in the district, including The Old Sunday School Hall in Braidwood NSW, The Federal Hall in Araluen NSW, and The Tarago Hall in Tarago NSW. People who weren't local were encouraged to take a trip to any of the four workshops to discover some history and experience local village life.

Participants were asked to fossick and collect something that made a noise or sound—a found object, a piece of nature, some rubbish—anything they could find within the 10 minutes allocated to search the surrounding area of the workshop, or alternatively, to bring something from home. This could include two things to bang together, three things to shake together, or anything else they could think of.

Upon returning to the space, musician and artist Kelly Sturgiss helped participants weave these sounds into a group symphony. Everyone heard the music develop as they created it together.