Title: Artist, Owner

Company: Calligraphy by Shelly

Location: Calgary, Alberta

Becoming involved in calligraphy 35 years ago, Shelly-Ann Guinn found her passion for lettering while practicing on books for four years before joining the Bow Valley Calligraphy Guild. A year later, Ms. Guinn began teaching children calligraphy in the after-school program of the public schools, and has since then taken from instructors around the world and continue to teach workshops and classes, as well. Ms. Guinn opened her business in 1980, entitled it Calligraphy by Shelly, and has since grown as a designer and entrepreneur.
What has contributed to Ms. Guinn’s success is her passion, dedication and hard work to always improve her illustration skills. Through her company, she provides expertise in creativity, customer services, and inspiration texts for private, commercial, corporate, and church commissions. In 2013, Ms. Guinn was awarded first place in the Calgary Stampede, and has found her memberships with IAMPETH and the Calligraphy Guild has helped her as a professional.

One of the highlights of Ms. Guinn’s career that stands out is designing and painting a mural 18′ x 10′ with English and Hebrew Calligraphy, Olive trees, floral border on canvas. It took 4.5 months to complete for a special event in a synagogue. The advice she would give the younger generation of women entering the workforce would be to stick with it, take workshops, build on improving skills to market, be dedicated, and know it takes time to get where you want to be in life. In five years, Ms. Guinn will be providing hand engraving and calligraphy at Weddings and Department Stores, Breweries and Wineries.

In Ms. Guinn’s words, “One element of interest to the other women about my art is that it is the result of strength, boldness, and need to have a voice coming out of a difficult childhood and two marriages. With this real impact in my life, I am happy in turn to support women’s shelters, and have donated several pieces of my work to support their cause.”

Messages that build our inner core frees and strengthen us to release old habits and thoughts, and we are transformed into someone more beautiful than before. I love to see others transformed by my work.

Find her on Facebook here: <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Calligraphy-by-Shelly/154548708040202&gt;