Mussels
I explore the
Pacific Mussel shell because I love its strong blue, sienna, and white ridged
exterior. Sometimes a beautifully shaped shell is accented by barnacles like
white stars in a night sky. Growth ridges suggest spirals of galaxies. The
highest point is often worn down to a silvery moon or lacy foam. The lines
circle out like waves on a topographical map. Inside the concave
shape, are delicate iridescent colors, polished and elegantly delineated by a
baroque curve of purple. Romantically, each shell grows as a pair
and each pair is individual; one half will not fit to any other than its
own mate. They mold themselves to fit their surroundings. (Moule in French means
mold as well as mussel.) Open, they form a heart shape.
I have been using the mussel motif for continued exploration since college.
It's become a metaphor for myself. It represents protection. At home at the
edge of the sea, in the frolicking waves, but securely attached to rock by
strong threads. The shape is full of gentle motion. In Alaska, I saw one half
floating on a calm sea. Was it lost or out for adventure? That frail yet
strong shell floats like a canoe, dances in the waves, and transforms into a
crescent moon in my art.
Click on thumbnails to enlarge.
Descriptions will be below the photo. For more photos,
click on arrow until it turns white.
Mussel Birdbath (19.5x11x30) Deconstructed Mussel Boat Mussel Wave (oil & shell) Red Mussel Boat (mixed media)
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