23 of 30 Hawk-wing Conch (Broken Shell Series)

The World Stopped Spinning (Hawk-wing Conch, Juvenile)

4" X 6"

Watercolor

$75

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This fragment was irresistible because it answered a question that had been spinning about in my brain. I wondered if the beautiful exterior of shells remained that way as they become the interior walls as a shell grows. It seemed sensible to believe that they would. The particular way that this shell was broken provides the answer because it lays bare two inner walls.

It makes me both happy and sad to think of this hidden beauty within shells. I like knowing it's there, but I wish I could marvel at it without the shell being broken.

20 of 30 Juvenile Crown Conch (Broken Shell Series)

Young One (Juvenile Crown Conch)

5" X 7"

Watercolor

$85

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This broken shell is hard to identify. After giving serious consideration to the worn juvenile fighting conch, ribbed cantharus, chestnut latirus and gulf oyster drill, I finally decided that my best guess is a juvenile crown conch. If you think I'm wrong, please tell me. ;)

If it weren't larger than the quarter, I think the gulf oyster drill might have been my guess, but my shell book says they max out at 1".

I approached this painting (and tomorrow's) in a different way than the preceding 19 days. With the last few paintings, I found myself applying layer after layer to the background after I finished the shell itself. Today I decided that I'd try masking the shell image and doing the background first.

Was it a better method? The painting seemed to go more quickly. I only had to put one or two washes on the background to tweak it at the end. I'm not sure yet whether I'll continue it on day 22.