In her Anglesey studio, nestled atop a rocky outcrop with a breathtaking view of the Irish Sea, artist Mel Campion meticulously examines a silvery abalone shell, studying its shape and color as beams of light illuminate its intricate details. Campion’s chosen medium is shells, using a variety of species like inky-blue mussels, green-grey asses’ ears, and moon-white clams, carefully arranging them on her workbench and affixing them to blank surfaces to create stunning works of art. While shellwork has been practiced since ancient times, adorning Greek and Roman temples, Campion, a fine art graduate, sees herself as a torchbearer for a new generation of shellers who experiment with innovative techniques and materials. Today, shell embellishments have moved beyond grottoes and garden rooms, finding their way into interiors, adding a touch of conchological charm to bathrooms, alcoves, and dining rooms.
Campion believes in the limitless possibilities of shellwork. She has experimented with dying shells black using charcoal powder to create a moody atmosphere, and has combined velvet and mussels to line a dining room, providing a tactile experience. In a windowless bathroom, she has meticulously placed iridescent shells, resembling sculptures, on the walls. Another immersive experiment involved creating a cornice adorned with flowers and foliage made from hundreds of Venus clams. At the Kin House hotel in Wiltshire, Campion collaborated with designer Lucy Barlow on an indoor grotto featuring shimmering shells that twinkle like fireflies in the darkness.
However, Campion emphasizes that the quality of shellwork can vary greatly. While less skilled work may look flat and kitschy, the best creations possess an “eccentric grittiness” that exudes tremendous energy, akin to the ebb and flow of the tide. Mastering the art lies in following the natural shapes of the shells to achieve this effect. In the past, shellwork aimed to inspire awe, symbolizing the wealth of patrons through the use of exotic imports like giant clams and nautilus shells. Nowadays, shellers are more environmentally conscious, using native species foraged from shorelines or repurposing restaurant waste like oyster and scallop shells.
Blott Kerr-Wilson, known for her work with interior designers such as Martin Brudnizki, seeks to modernize shellwork. Often associated with dark and cobwebby grottoes, shellwork needed a fresh perspective. Kerr-Wilson’s own shellwork career took off when she submitted her shell-adorned bathroom, transformed from her south London council flat, to a competition in The World of Interiors magazine. This exposure led to numerous requests to design dining rooms and other spaces. She pioneered the use of single-shell compositions, such as a three-meter-wide circle undulating with mussels. For the Grade II-listed George Hotel in Rye, she covered a wall with shells from the town’s annual scallop festival, giving new life to what was once considered discarded junk. For Kerr-Wilson, it’s not the individual shells that matter, but the way they interact and the shapes they can create.
Shell decoration experienced a resurgence during Renaissance Italy, when the revival of classicism and interest in the natural world sparked a new wave of interest. Garden designer Charlie Day discovered the Grotta Grande in the Boboli Gardens while studying sculpture in Florence. Mesmerized by its theatricality, he draws inspiration from its combination of rocks, sponges, and carved shells. Day encourages his clients to incorporate shell-lined retreats in their homes, offering an escape and a touch of drama. For the restoration of an 18th-century folly in Yorkshire, he used mortar to affix rows of shells and cascading rocks for a picturesque effect. A carved Poseidon head adds a sense of antique gravitas.
Tess Morley approaches shellwork as an art form rather than a craft, using shells as her medium to create unique and unusual pieces. Her shell masks led to the creation of three-dimensional decorative panels inspired by the Green Man and Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s fruit and vegetable portraits. Morley developed her own technique, using mesh and conservator’s putty to attach the shells to the form. She has gained a strong following in the US for her kit-form panels, where clients provide a plan of the room and she creates a design to be installed as part of the decoration. Morley also worked on the restoration of the shell room at Goodwood in Sussex, renowned for its intricate detailing, which was likely created during the 1730s when grottoes captured the upper classes’ imagination.
Historically, shellwork often went unsigned, resulting in many artists and practitioners remaining unknown. Of those who can be identified, Mary Delany, an 18th-century artist and sheller, stands out for her work on urns, chandeliers, and the chapel attached to her Dublin home. In the mid-20th century, Peter Coke, an antiques dealer, drew inspiration from 19th-century sailor’s valentines, creating fantastical sculptures. Anthony Redmile, a contemporary of Coke and a designer, used shellwork to add eccentric touches to antique furniture. Today, modern shellwork brings the romanticism of the past to life, offering a glimpse into history and an invitation into the imagination.
Val Foster of antiques dealer Foster & Gane recently acquired a rare Redmile console covered in shells, gems, amethyst, and rock crystal. The console quickly sold at the Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair for £25,000, demonstrating the enduring appeal of shellwork. Foster believes that shellwork carries the enchantment of the natural world without being overly sentimental. It serves as a timeless reminder of the social preoccupations of the past and provides an opportunity to delve into the realms of imagination. Kerr-Wilson confirms this, noting that shellwork continues to gain popularity, with many enthusiasts seeking advice on materials and techniques.
Amateur enthusiasts like William Thuillier also find themselves drawn to shellwork. Thuillier, an art dealer, has always longed for a shell-adorned bathroom, particularly since he resides in an 18th-century folly in Hampshire with stunning views of parkland designed by Capability Brown. By chance, he met someone involved in the restoration of the grotto at Leeds Castle, which sparked his interest. Thuillier… [content ends here]
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