​hello! I'm shelley...

 

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If you were to ask me when my artistic skills became obvious, I would tell you that before I learnt to talk, I learnt how to draw on the walls of our house (much to my parent’s horror). Never being one to sit still, I loved painting (especially on my brother) and would stick pins that would drop onto the floor from my mother’s sewing, into the back of the lounge so creating patterns.

 

From a very young age I loved to draw; my Grandfather always encouraged me by buying new art supplies whenever I would visit him. For my 10th birthday he bought me a full set of Derwent Pencils in a wooden box - it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen - every single colour, pencils all the exact same length. They were on display in my room and it was another 8 years before I actually used them for my visual arts’ major works at Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High School. I remember crying the first time I had to sharpen them.

 

After high school, I moved from Sydney to Newcastle to study a Bachelor of Visual Communication Design (graphic design). At first, using a computer to design was a challenge for me, as I much preferred using pencils! I majored in Illustration and graduated with distinction before finding myself in the Mid North Coast.

 

Whilst searching for a full time graphic design job, I began painting close ups of birds on canvas using acrylics which I would sell at the markets and I was ‘live painting’ which always fascinated people. With such exposure I was offered commissions and my artworks were acquired and appreciated by many people.

 

I got my first full time graphic design position at a local business in Tuncurry, and as a result I stopped painting.

I started a freelance graphic design and a photography business called Creative Shell. Any spare time I had was spent photographing people or designing logos and print material.

 

This is where the shift of mediums took place, I traded my paint brush in for a laptop. At this point, I didn't know it would be 10 years before I would pick up a paint brush again. 

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In March 2021, I exhibited my artworks at Halliday's Point Library in an exhibition titled - 'Birds Eye View,' this featured digital illustrations of birds found all over the world. It caught the attention of a lovely lady in Krambach who asked if I would be interested in being a painting tutor for her business The Country CrafTeas. 

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And that... is how Paint with Shell started....

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