About this Collection
Like most people, I’d notice shells on the beach, maybe picking up a perfect specimen once in a while, but nothing beyond.
After Hurricane Ian hit, I was displaced as were many. A friend’s aunt had a rental in Bonita Springs that was available, And she let me stay until I could move back home.
Walking on Vanderbilt Beach, seeing the unnatural items on the beach- a shower head, a spoon, broken glass, random chair- I spotted a bright white shell emerging from the sand. It reminded me of an angel wing. I thought about the chance of seeing that particular shell in the sunlight, like a little symbol of hope.
I decided to use it in a painting for the person who lent me their home, I thought of how broken shells are all over the beach and are usually overlooked for the whole, immaculate shells.
It also made me think of making portraits: How everyone has beauty in their own way, but when asked to pose for a drawing or painting, they deflect because they aren’t “ideal”. When in fact, that is what makes them so interesting: their chips, cracks and worn down areas. It shows a life lived!
And so this series began.
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