About Miss Shelley
Shelley Lapham (aka: Miss Shelley) is a professional Artist, Early Childhood/Elementary Educator, and well known Art Instructor who has taught a variety of Art mediums in her fun Creative Art classes for over 10 years! She is well known in the Charlotte, Fort Mill, and Tega Cay area for her work with Preschool, Home School, & Elementary Art programs and summer camps. Her Creative Art classes have inspired children and adults at the Charlotte Art League, United Artisans of America Studio, Claymates Pottery Studio, Park Road Montessori, York Prep Academy, YMCA of Greater Charlotte, and for several local preschools and homeschool groups. Miss Shelley's Creative Art classes have been voted "Top Fun Things for Kids to do in Fort Mill" and been featured in several local and online publications including Little One's Magazine, Macaroni Kid, and The Fort Mill & Tega Cay Carolina Town magazines. Her fun and expressive classes allow her students the freedom to explore the world of Art while learning technique and various mediums under the positive instruction of a caring Instructor.
Miss Shelley has been very involved with the Arts since she was a young girl. She would spend hours on her sun patio creating and painting and she enjoyed being involved in Music, Theatre, and Art programs while growing up. Shelley earned a music scholarship to Liberty University where she majored in Elementary & Music Education and over the last 10 years she has studied and taken numerous Art and Music classes and studied in workshops under other professional Artists. In 1999, she traveled to a small island off the coast of Belize to share her love of music and art with children, and after the birth of her son Gabe in 2002, she became a Nanny for Michelle Rogers, the owner of Miller Street Dance Academy in Baxter & Weddington. During this time, Shelley went back to school at night and on the weekends to earn her NC Early Childhood Teaching Credentials and in 2004 she began teaching Music and Art classes for preschool and elementary age children. In 2011, she moved to the western North Carolina mountains to study clay, drawing, and glass fusing and she taught her Creative Art classes for all ages at Claymates Pottery studio near Bryson City, NC. She is now back in the Charlotte/Fort Mill area and enjoys teaching classes and giving workshops at the United Artisans Studio in historic downtown Fort Mill and she also teaches classes in Charlotte at Park Road Montessori as well as for several local school and homeschool groups. In her free time, Shelley enjoys hiking in the mountains, traveling, cooking, reading, spending time with her son Gabe, and creating Art! Her favorite mediums are Glass Mosaics and Mixed Media as well as Texture Painting on Canvas. She has sold many of her pieces at the United Artisans of America Studio and Charlotte Art League and her unique and creative style of painting has inspired others to pick up a brush and learn something fun! She hopes to see you or your child in a class soon!
Miss Shelley has been very involved with the Arts since she was a young girl. She would spend hours on her sun patio creating and painting and she enjoyed being involved in Music, Theatre, and Art programs while growing up. Shelley earned a music scholarship to Liberty University where she majored in Elementary & Music Education and over the last 10 years she has studied and taken numerous Art and Music classes and studied in workshops under other professional Artists. In 1999, she traveled to a small island off the coast of Belize to share her love of music and art with children, and after the birth of her son Gabe in 2002, she became a Nanny for Michelle Rogers, the owner of Miller Street Dance Academy in Baxter & Weddington. During this time, Shelley went back to school at night and on the weekends to earn her NC Early Childhood Teaching Credentials and in 2004 she began teaching Music and Art classes for preschool and elementary age children. In 2011, she moved to the western North Carolina mountains to study clay, drawing, and glass fusing and she taught her Creative Art classes for all ages at Claymates Pottery studio near Bryson City, NC. She is now back in the Charlotte/Fort Mill area and enjoys teaching classes and giving workshops at the United Artisans Studio in historic downtown Fort Mill and she also teaches classes in Charlotte at Park Road Montessori as well as for several local school and homeschool groups. In her free time, Shelley enjoys hiking in the mountains, traveling, cooking, reading, spending time with her son Gabe, and creating Art! Her favorite mediums are Glass Mosaics and Mixed Media as well as Texture Painting on Canvas. She has sold many of her pieces at the United Artisans of America Studio and Charlotte Art League and her unique and creative style of painting has inspired others to pick up a brush and learn something fun! She hopes to see you or your child in a class soon!
From the Parents!
"My daughter Olivia attended Miss Shelley's Art classes for over three years. I always felt comfortable leaving her with Miss Shelley because she was happy to go there, and because Shelley always has such a cheerful demeanor and it was obvious that she really loves the children she teaches. It was great to know that Olivia was with someone with such a passion for Art, as well as a fun personality. I loved coming to pick my daughter up and watching her dance with her friends and see the art projects they had made that Miss Shelley is so famous for!" -Lisa, Mom to Olivia
"Lucy absolutely loved her experience with Miss Shelley at Creative Minds! It gave her confidence and opened the door to music and art, which she loves so much. She looked forward to going every week and made lots of friends. As a parent, I really enjoyed the small class sizes and all of the activities. It was a wonderful introduction to the world of Art and I was always impressed with Miss Shelley’s positive energy and interaction with the kids. I would not trade this experience for Lucy for anything!!" -Cathy, Mom to Lucy
“It's hard to express in words how much we adore Miss Shelley! She is one of those rare individuals who was born to work with children. She is gifted with the ability to effectively communicate with kids on their level - she's teaches them SO many things, but they just think they're having fun! Emily has been attending Shelley's program for 3 years and continues to look forward to going, each and every time. Miss Shelley is like a favorite aunt, who doesn't mind if the kids make a mess, just as long as they are having fun - and you know, Shelley is having just as much fun as the kids! Creative Minds Art classes are truly one of the best experiences your child will have and there's no better person to care for your children than Shelley. I know that each child she teaches holds a special place in her heart, and she definitely has a special place in ours!” -Jennifer, Mom to Emily
“When I first moved to Charlotte, we heard all about Miss Shelley and how she's the most amazing teacher. I took my once very nervous daughter, Hannah, to her first day of class in hopes to help her overcome her strong attachment to me. Within the first few classes, Hannah was a confident and outgoing little girl. She has learned a GREAT deal of knowledge and I am simply amazed at the level of attention that she and all of the other children in her class received. A million thank you's goes to Shelley for teaching her the importance of being creative!!” -Andrea, Mom to Hannah and Ella
“When we moved to Charlotte in 2005 I had no idea what to do for my son until I found Miss Shelley. My son had a lot of separation issues, but Miss Shelley was so understanding and made the transition into her classes a very smooth one. I will never be able to thank her enough for that peace of mind. Of course when my daughter became old enough, it was an easy decision to send her to Creative Minds classes. She has made so many friends there and has really enjoyed all of the Art activities. We will always be grateful for Miss Shelley and her Creative Minds Art classes” -Tonia, Mom to Morgan and Preston
“I just cannot say enough good things about Miss Shelley and her classes! The love and attention Shelley gives every child is above and beyond what you would see anywhere else. Every week is a new adventure with new themes and new exciting art projects. My son was extremely shy and afraid to be away from me when I first signed him up. Now he can’t wait to go. I truly believe that it was in great part the loving and fun environment that contributed to his now outgoing and gregarious personality. Miss Shelley is absolutely wonderful!!!” -Daniela, Mommy to Sean
"Miss Shelley is the BEST teacher EVER!!" -Carson (age 8)
"Lucy absolutely loved her experience with Miss Shelley at Creative Minds! It gave her confidence and opened the door to music and art, which she loves so much. She looked forward to going every week and made lots of friends. As a parent, I really enjoyed the small class sizes and all of the activities. It was a wonderful introduction to the world of Art and I was always impressed with Miss Shelley’s positive energy and interaction with the kids. I would not trade this experience for Lucy for anything!!" -Cathy, Mom to Lucy
“It's hard to express in words how much we adore Miss Shelley! She is one of those rare individuals who was born to work with children. She is gifted with the ability to effectively communicate with kids on their level - she's teaches them SO many things, but they just think they're having fun! Emily has been attending Shelley's program for 3 years and continues to look forward to going, each and every time. Miss Shelley is like a favorite aunt, who doesn't mind if the kids make a mess, just as long as they are having fun - and you know, Shelley is having just as much fun as the kids! Creative Minds Art classes are truly one of the best experiences your child will have and there's no better person to care for your children than Shelley. I know that each child she teaches holds a special place in her heart, and she definitely has a special place in ours!” -Jennifer, Mom to Emily
“When I first moved to Charlotte, we heard all about Miss Shelley and how she's the most amazing teacher. I took my once very nervous daughter, Hannah, to her first day of class in hopes to help her overcome her strong attachment to me. Within the first few classes, Hannah was a confident and outgoing little girl. She has learned a GREAT deal of knowledge and I am simply amazed at the level of attention that she and all of the other children in her class received. A million thank you's goes to Shelley for teaching her the importance of being creative!!” -Andrea, Mom to Hannah and Ella
“When we moved to Charlotte in 2005 I had no idea what to do for my son until I found Miss Shelley. My son had a lot of separation issues, but Miss Shelley was so understanding and made the transition into her classes a very smooth one. I will never be able to thank her enough for that peace of mind. Of course when my daughter became old enough, it was an easy decision to send her to Creative Minds classes. She has made so many friends there and has really enjoyed all of the Art activities. We will always be grateful for Miss Shelley and her Creative Minds Art classes” -Tonia, Mom to Morgan and Preston
“I just cannot say enough good things about Miss Shelley and her classes! The love and attention Shelley gives every child is above and beyond what you would see anywhere else. Every week is a new adventure with new themes and new exciting art projects. My son was extremely shy and afraid to be away from me when I first signed him up. Now he can’t wait to go. I truly believe that it was in great part the loving and fun environment that contributed to his now outgoing and gregarious personality. Miss Shelley is absolutely wonderful!!!” -Daniela, Mommy to Sean
"Miss Shelley is the BEST teacher EVER!!" -Carson (age 8)
