Blog posts tagged with 'seashell art'

Many of my ideas and inspiration for the jewelry and art i create comes from my walks on the beach. My favorite beach to visit is Waikiki Beach on Winter Island in Salem MA. (I can walk there on a pretty day or hop in the car and be there in five minutes.)

Of course one of my inner child's favorite things to do is collect seashells, driftwood and rocks from the beach. I always make sure that i do not pick up any creatures that could still be alive. The main types of shell found on this beach are European Oysters, Slipper Shells, Clams and tiny Fairy Snail shells. Lots of broken up crab shells and claws. Sometimes i will find a decent piece of driftwood. Lots of cool rocks and pebbles. 

Love the tidepools, lapping waves and laughing sea gulls of the island. Most of all the sea breeze aromatherapy. If only we could bottle that! After a visit to Winter Island my muse is happy, my mind and body calm and my bucket is filled with seashells! Time to go home and create. 

Since moving back to Salem MA, my husband and i have been visiting several of the local beaches as much as possible when the weather permits. I believe this has been the catalyst for my new line of jewelry and art... Aphrodite's Grotto.

Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty. Know as Venus by the Romans. The Greek word aphros means foam. It is said she was born from white foam. You can almost see her while watching the waves on Winter Island!

I am in the process of photographing and adding these new pieces to the Whispers of the O'Fae shoppe now, which is a very long process. (Sometimes i feel it takes longer to photograph and do all the left brain work of writing about the piece, pricing it and dealing with all the intrigate details of making sure it is listed properly on the site than it does to create the art!) My muse would rather create all day!

Sneak peek! Wire wrapped European Oyster Shell with Sea Deva created with ecofriendly paper clay. I use paper clay instead of Fimo or Sculpey because it is biodegradable and non-toxic. I love combining freshwater pearls with semiprecious gemstones, glass beads and moss for an ethereal feel. 

https://whispersoftheofae.com/sea-deva-of-winter-island

Stay tuned... more will be added to our shoppe this week. Meanwhile please follow us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/PracticalMagicSalem/

As arctic air freezes most of the North and Northeast of the country many of us are staying in as much as possible. Yesterday we had a few snow flurries, a small dusting but not much else. This morning the roads were icy with a touch of white. Taking the dog out to pee was an adventure!

Meanwhile... i have had to move my art supplies from the sunporch studio into the living room Way too cold to work out there - so cold that my paper clay froze!

Paper clay pendants drying before they can be painted. During cold damp weather they take about 3 days to dry. Patience is not one of my virtues but i do love that paper clay is eco-friendly and does not need to be fired.

My muse has been having fun creating a few new spirit dolls with the seashells and driftwood found on Plum Island, Sandy Point Beach and Winter Island.

These pictures are not the best. Will be taking more when these are finished. They will be residing at The Witchery on Pickering Wharf, Salem MA sometime soon.

Before i start a spirit doll i usually have some sort of intention. I may get inspired by one something i want to use in the piece or just a thought. Yesterday while deciding what to work with i pulled the Angel card BIRTH. Aha... OK.. thank you for that inspiration!

I found two huge broken lobster claws (or are they crab? over on the beaches by Plum Island. Something so cool about broken shells. Love incorporating them into my work. It looks like it could be some sort of nest or womb for a sea babe. So inside there is a tiny clay head. Though you really cannot see it. 

The moon shells also have sea babes inside them. I love love love finding these moon shells. They symbolize the moon, prosperity and infinity. And they are stunning. We have bowls of them all over the place since we started going to those beaches. Hoping to create some jewelry with them as well. My muse is on overwhelm with all these shell ideas!

Moss and sand were added along with freshwater pearls, Czech glass beads, shimmering threads and a few other shells.

Spiritually pearls soothe the body, mind and soul while healing negativity. They are a symbol of rebirth, birth, new beginnings. The Chinese believe pearls aid in fertility as the help balance the body’s natural rhythms and hormone levels with lunar cycles. They are considered yin and a sign of the Moon.

Still needs more work!

Not the best photo but it was night and i used my phone. She should be photographed hanging on a wall. When she is over at the Witchery there will be a proper photo taken. Still working on her name. Perhaps it will just be Birth. Is that too boring? She has three babes, two are in moon shells and the other is still in her lobster claw womb.

Another lobster claw babe in progress. This one is taking longer. Using driftwood and a branch i found. The hardest part of these is trying to figure out how to hang them. I am not a left brain person!

Today the winds are brutal so we will be staying in with short dog walks. Hoping to finish these pieces soon. My paper clay pendants are finally dry and ready to paint. Looking forward to making a mess!

Wishing all a magical day.

More Spirit Dolls, DIY Spirit Doll Kits and Classes at: https://whispersoftheofae.com/nature-spirit-beings-as-art

Create your own Spirit Art Doll online class:

http://www.udemy.com/create-a-healing-spirit-art-doll