For years, I suffered under the belief that productivity ruled all and art was an irresponsible use of time. Now, I’m a professional artist, educator, and online Creator, and I’ve made it my mission to help people reconnect with the creative spark they thought they’d lost. No matter where you are in your artistic journey, you deserve to chase your passionate curiosity without guilt, fear, or apology.
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What I believe about creativity
These four principles guide everything I teach. They’re the lessons I wish someone had told me when I was starting out—or better yet, when I was giving up.
MY JOURNEY
From almost quitting to empowering thousands of creators
Started a blog while quietly dying inside
In 2015, I started Little Coffee Fox with no direction. After a year of 15 readers a month, I was ready to quit. Jon convinced me to try one more post. I wrote about the bullet journal, and people actually responded. Within months, traffic jumped from 1,000 to 100,000 views. I quit my job and dove in headfirst, terrified but hopeful.
Found a loophole back to creativity
The bullet journal became my gateway back to art. It let me be creative under the umbrella of productivity. I added color, watercolor, lettering—things I’d abandoned years ago. For the first time since childhood, I didn’t feel guilty. The planner was “productive,” so creativity snuck in through the back door.
Launched Foxsy to stop compromising
After years serving other companies’ goals, we launched Foxsy in 2021 to focus on what matters: teaching people to break free from creative blocks. We moved to Chicago, opened a studio, and collaborated with creators who share our mission. First month: $33k. Proof that when you create something that matters, people show up. We’ve since built three academies and 230+ classes.
Empowering You to unlock Your creativity
Today, I’ve taught hundreds of classes, built three academies, and worked with 24,000+ students. My goal: help you become the creative person you want to be—without permission, without perfection, without guilt. I’m not just teaching techniques—I’m helping people reclaim the part of themselves they abandoned. Your creativity matters more than you know.
The story behind “irresponsible” art
What makes learning with me different
I’ve Been Where You Are
I’m not some lifelong professional who forgot what it’s like to struggle. I learned watercolor as an adult. I remember every frustration, every fear, every reason to quit.
Technical Skills Matter
I don’t skip the fundamentals. You’ll learn proper technique, understand your materials, and build a strong foundation. But technique alone won’t set you free.
Mindset is Everything
We’ll address the real barriers: perfectionism, comparison, imposter syndrome, guilt. You can have all the tutorials in the world, but if you’re locked up mentally, they won’t help.
Community Over Competition
You can find support from thousands of people on the same journey. We celebrate each other’s wins, share our struggles, and remember that there’s room for everyone.
Accessible & Judgment-Free
No pretentious art speak. No gatekeeping. No “you should already know this.” I explain things clearly, assume nothing, and create space for questions.
Create for the Joy of It
Everything I teach builds real skills, but the act of creating matters even without a final product. Whether it’s journaling, painting, lettering, or drawing, you’ll discover that making art for its own sake is enough. No portfolio required.
Join the Foxsy Platform
Get instant access to hundreds of on-demand classes, three comprehensive academies (Watercolor, Lettering, & Drawing), weekly live classes, and a supportive community. Everything you need to unlock your creative potential in one place.
Let’s Chat One-on-One
Book a personal consultation to discuss your creative blocks, get portfolio feedback, or dive deep into technique. Choose from single sessions, creative life coaching packages, or custom lesson bundles tailored to your goals.
Shop Original Art & Prints
Bring a piece of my work into your space. From intricate watercolor paintings to hand-lettered projects, each piece bears an important part of my creative journey.
I help you skip the years I lost to fear
I spent years believing my art wasn’t worth the paper it was painted on. That it was selfish, impractical, immature. When I finally found my way back, I realized how many people were stuck in the same trap.
READY TO GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO CREATE?
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need years of experience. You don’t need permission from anyone—except yourself. Join thousands of people who decided to stop waiting and start creating. Your creative spark is still there. Let’s unlock it together.
Giving in to Irresponsible Art
Hi, I’m Shelby. I used to be that kid who couldn’t put down a crayon, drawing on everything including my homework (sorry, teachers). But somewhere along the way, I let fear and doubt convince me that art was “childish” and “irresponsible.” So I did what so many of us do – I abandoned the thing that made me feel most alive.
For years, I told myself creativity was a waste of time while quietly dying inside. I convinced myself that being “productive” meant killing the part of me that needed to create. But here’s what I discovered after years of creative starvation: art isn’t frivolous – it’s essential to who we are as humans.
Now, as a full-time artist, I’m here to tell you that the voice saying you’re “not artistic enough” or “too old to start” is lying to you. Everyone has that creative spark – yes, even you. Sometimes it just takes the right tools and a little permission to let yourself be “irresponsibly” creative again.
That’s exactly what I’m here to help you do.