Shell Portrait II

Acrylic, Gouache & Pencil on Canvas There is something so compelling about the process of walking the shoreline and collecting the beautiful sculptural shells that wash up onto the beach. Such a sense of discovery. I am always drawn to the ones with the smooth edges and concentric lines, or the broken pieces. One year, during a trip to Florida, I only gathered shells in two color palettes; those soft colors and subtle patterns ended up in the Shell Portrait paintings.