Turning beachside treasures into art, New York artist Anna Chan has transformed a hobby into a passionate pursuit.
As a jewelry designer, Chan found herself with more time. She and her daughter started collecting seashells and used them to create stunning animal sculptures.
In an interview with My Modern Met, Chan expressed her enthusiasm for working with large pieces and her hands to sculpt, saying, “I saw great potential with this new medium and was determined to keep refining my work.” Chan now creates her masterpieces in her garage, filled with sand and seashells.
From her first creation—a turtle—to her current collection, Chan’s portfolio showcases a variety of land and sea creatures. One piece features a bird made from scallops, mussels, clams, and horseshoe crab tails.
In another, a lion’s mane is meticulously crafted from large, broken seashells. Chan’s attention to detail is apparent in her selection of shells that resemble real-life animal characteristics.
She describes the seashells as “little jewels” and finds inspiration in their colors, textures, and shapes.
Chan’s lockdown pastime has become a significant focus of her artistic career. Her experience with other materials like clay, wax, metal, and fabric pales compared to her intuitive connection with sand. You can view her captivating seashell animal portraits on Instagram.
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Via: My Modern Met