Shellcraft
Shellcraft, also known as shell craft and shellwork, is the art and craft of making decorative objects, and of decorating surfaces, using seashells. It is a form of folk art and decorative art. The craft includes the design and creation of small items such as shell jewelry and figurines made from shells; middle-sized objects such as boxes and mirror frames covered in shells; sailor's valentines; and larger constructions including mosaics and shell grottos.
Some shellcraft is done as a hobby for enjoyment and making gifts. Among Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander communities, shellwork is an important traditional art, including Bidjigal shellwork. Pieces are held in art galleries and museum collections. In some parts of the world, including the Philippines, it is a business.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Shellcraft”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Sailors valetine.JPG by Verne Equinox, CC BY-SA 3.0
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