Shell-E at the Beach
2026
6″ x 6″
Stained glass, fused glass, shells
$425
Since I start most of my projects by picking my tessera and color scheme, my design inspiration usually comes from observing the size, shapes, and hues of these items. I was in Costa Rica, working on mosaic in progress, when I noticed a large bowl of sea shells on the table in front of me. One shell caught my eye—it looked like a face!—and that’s when my idea took shape. Shell-E was born, one ‘shell’ at a time. Knowing I even if I had the time to search for more shells at the beach, I could never find a ‘perfect face’ to take that would inspire me in this way. Instead, I traded by leaving a large fused glass piece I had made. My friend Shelley happened to be with me, so naming my work was a breeze.
Joan Schwartz