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Shelley is both an educator and a creative. For over twenty years, she taught students and trained teachers and leadership teams, building a fulfilling career in education. To maintain balance and joy throughout her journey, she found solace in soapmaking, knitting, and other modern crafts.

Over the years, the idea of opening an art studio kept sparking her imagination, eventually leading her to bridge her two passions: education and creativity. In August 2019, Shelley brought that vision to life by opening CRAFT + LIGHT on 2nd Street in Naples, Long Beach, CA—guided by the scripture, “If you can believe, all things are possible to the one who believes.”

Just seven months later, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, shifting her classes into the virtual world. Since then, Shelley has taught over 7,000 people not only how to make soap, but also how to craft wood signs, create with alcohol inks, make candles, bath bombs, and more. She curates creative experiences that feed the soul and has collaborated with organizations like Facebook, LinkedIn, and PayPal. Shelley also partners with city governments to design COVID-19 creative care packages for at-risk residents and works closely with the Long Beach Black Health Collaborative, funded by the City of Long Beach.

With a heart for community, CRAFT + LIGHT offers creative experiences that inspire joy, growth, and connection. In her free time, Shelley enjoys relaxing at the beach, biking along the coast, cooking, and most of all, spending time with her husband and family in Southern California.

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