Shell Study in Cerulean

“Shell Study in Cerulean”:

Dimensions: 5x7 inches

Watercolor on 100% cotton paper with touches of metallic gold

Initialed on front, signed on back

Mats hand-painted with watercolor 

Framed to 8x10 inches in a white beaded wooden frame with glass

This collection began on our annual beach vacation with the shells that my girls avidly collected as treasures. Normally, I wouldn’t have invested much thought into these shells—my kids are always collecting little pieces of things. But this time, I had the opportunity to notice them more closely, and I caught a glimpse of the understated beauty of these collected items. Each shell is unique, and even the fragments are interesting in the ways that they hint at their once-complete structure. 

My sketchbook experiments with watercolor shells evolved into monochrome watercolor paintings. Each of these paintings showcases a unique arrangement of shells in a different color, drawn together by touches of metallic gold. The hand-painted custom matting offers additional interest and elegance to each piece. These paintings shimmer in the light, much like their oceanic inspiration. The pictures don’t do them justice!

To my kids, even the most ordinary fragments of shells can be considered precious. And that’s the kind of simple yet profound wonder that I hope to elicit with these pieces.