Life is the art of drawing without an eraser - John Gardner



It all started one windy, rainy, freezing night on the beach.  Lion's paws are an unusual find on SWFL beaches.  I just had a feeling that the storm that had been blowing for a few days last winter had stirred up the Gulf of Mexico enough to wash some goodies ashore.  I ran out to the beach after work with my flashlight and low & behold I was right.  There was a line of deep water shells all the way down the beach.  Since I was the only person crazy enough to brave the cold & go on the beach after dark I had the whole wrack line to myself. I scored some nice lion's paw fragments and  1 lion's paw that was intact.  After looking at them & cleaning them up I could just see they would make a great mermaid tail if I was to mosaic them. I started picking up orange scallops for the scales & worm shells for her hair.  All my junonia fragments would come in handy as well.


 I mentioned my idea of doing a mermaid mosaic off & on to some of my shelling buddies. Once you hear yourself say it out loud that pretty much commits you to a thing.  It was when I found a certain piece of anatomically correct coral that the project swung into high gear.  My local thrift shop provided a 60's abstract painting that the frame & hanger were in good shape to re-purpose.  After priming over the canvas I laid it out on my kitchen table with all my mermaid mosaic-designated shells ready to start my masterpiece.  Then company came in the form of a 6 yo & 4 yo nicknamed "Baby Godzilla".  Everything was put away to make room for Thomas the Train and Cars 2. After our visitors left hubby & I hit the road to do some travelling over the summer first to North Carolina then on to Pennsylvania.  So the dust has settled and a few weeks ago I cleared the table, laid out the canvas, sorted the shells and with glue in hand stood and stared at the white bare picture waiting for a download of inspiration. 


So I stared & stared some more.  I'd walk away for a bit and do housework or run errands.  Every time I passed the kitchen table the blank canvas would glare at me.  Alright!  Already!  You just have to start so I did and I'm done.  Well, I'm still pondering the border but the mermaid is complete. I'm very pleased with her because what I saw in my mind's eye is actually what I ended up with.  I named her Jenny in honor of a story of a woman who collects worm shells or "Jenny curls" as she calls them in memory of her daughter that passed on.  I don't consider myself an artist or a writer but I have moments where I do both.  I just make things or write about things that move my heart. Such is life.


(Credit:  www.Jaxshells.org)
Family Pectinidae
Nodipecten fragosus
(Conrad, 1849)
Northern lion paw


The inspiration piece


I found all the shells & sea glass except the driftwood arms ( they are from my mom's driftwood stash), the blue seaglass, and the face.  The face is a shell from Panama given to me by my shell brotha Capt. Brian.

Comments

  1. I love the beach when it's windy though I seldom get a chance to be on the beach at all. I love your shells. They are so pretty and your mosaic is really something special.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful! How fun to create your inner self in mosaic form. She really captures the joy of the beach!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Karen! She is beautiful!!!!!!!!!! You have done a beautiful job on her! I'm practically speechless. You should be so proud honey, she is truly a work of art! You should make prints of her...and sell them! Maybe even cards! She is a delight!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Karen that is AMAZING! What a great job!! I agree with Della, make prints...or cards!! I absolutely love it!!! I AM speechless!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my gosh....I love her....I am now your newest follower and I would love it if you would follow me back to get in on my driftwood sailboat give-a-way. Sherron
    http://smallholdings.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Karen, you out-did yourself! She turned out beautiful. I love Della's idea of the cards. Wouldn't that make gorgeous Christmas cards? Where did you hang her?

    ReplyDelete
  7. She is just beeeuuuteeful! It tickles me that little piece of coral inspired the whole thing. LOL Miss you

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations! Your long term vision came out absolutely delightful and inspiring!! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  9. P.S. Omg! Great lions paw. What a great find! Congrats on a RARE find!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is so amazing. She looks great! I love the colors,

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautiful. So creative. Such a masterpiece. And I bet she was fun to make.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

40 Miles North of Shell Mountain

May you always have a seashell in your pocket & sand between your toes

"Oh the Sanibel Stoop & the Sanibel Shuffle - Can he pack all his loot in his old Army duffle?" - from a poem by M. H. Greenberg