About
The idea for Kalli Camp Academy was born out of the KalliCampLive virtual calligraphy camp. We are a husband and wife duo who have enlisted a team of mentors to provide calligraphy and arts education at a modest price.
We aim to make it possible for artists at every skill level and culture to grow in their craft and connect with others on a deeper level through true friendships centered around shared passions. We also aim to support each other and help grow our small businesses as a result of this collaborative endeavor.
Meet Our Founders
Heather McKelvey, RHIA
Founder and Executive Director, Main Street Web Development LLC
Co-founder & CEO, Kalli Camp Academy
Calligraphy Educator, Kallialitheia, www.beginnercalligraphy.com
Heather began learning calligraphy in 2015 and has since grown to love creating worksheets and educational content for her blog at beginnercalligraphy.com. A web designer and former medical coder, Heather is married to Bill and they have two adult children. She is a member of the International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH), the Board of Directors of the Birmingham Calligraphy Guild, and the American Health Information Management Association, through which she is credentialed as a Registered Health Information Administrator. She also likes to play the piano, knit, crochet, and make all the things. She is a class of 2025 MD graduate of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.
Bill McKelvey, MA, CCA
Co-founder, Kalli Camp Academy
Bill is Heather's other half, and he assists Heather with running Kalli Camp Academy, ensuring that our students have the best experience possible. Bill has a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management from Clemson University, and an Associates in Machine Tool Technology from Greenville Tech. You can often find him making hand-turned calligraphy nib holders and otherwise utilizing his mad skills with wood, metal and leather.
History of KalliCampLive
Kalli Camp Live was launched in response to the global coronavirus pandemic in April of 2020. We wanted to bring about an opportunity to connect artists from around the world in an event that would provide hope and a week of staycation where people could "get away" from their cares while "staying home."
In exactly one week, we went from just a crazy idea to the launch of a free, virtual calligraphy camp kickoff. We assembled a team of 20 instructors from 7 countries who taught 33 live classes in the Instagram platform. We provided over 100 pages of free handouts to the campers from expert-level calligraphers and artists. There were over 2100 campers from all over the world (82 countries!!) joining in watching live classes all day long, and IT. WAS. EPIC.
Every morning we had a big kickoff event with rockin' music and morning announcements, and there were live sessions throughout the day to onboard new campers. We added campers all throughout the week and ended the week by the campfire Friday night and talked about all our wonderful memories.
Kalli Camp Live was a life-changing event for many people, instructors and campers alike. We had no idea when dreaming up this event that we could literally feel like we were at camp together with people from every tribe and tongue. We truly feel that we made history with this event, as we made new friendships with people the world-over, and saw people not only learn new skills but also launch new businesses as a result of the camp.
We also raised a generous sum of donations that went to Care Health here in Birmingham, Alabama, who used our donations to provide meals for an entire local emergency department, supporting both the healthcare workers and a local restaurant. Campers from all over the world gave sacrificially to contribute to this cause.
It is our hope as we launch Kalli Camp Academy that we can extend the friendships made at camp with other artists and hopefuls. We strive to provide a place for you to learn, connect, and grow.
