My Grandfather wasn’t a famous artist. He was a retired store owner/Navy pilot that happened to enjoy expressing himself creatively on the side. I’m realizing now that his connection with Nature has been a huge influence in my work. As a young child, I’d watch him pursue amateur nature photography (which ended up being a huge reason for my interest in studying photo in college.) My favorite artistic connection to Nature growing up involved a fun project involving the beach: Shell art.

My grandparents lived southwest of Houston- about an hour from Surfside Beach. Now that I’ve visited proper beaches, I understand that Surfside was a little “subpar.” However, it had lots of shells, and still provides wonderful memories for me.

My grandfather would have me and my cousins scour the beach for shells that looked like something to us. Typically, a face of some kind- whether it resembled a human or animal face. When we’d get home, we’d separate them out and figure out a plan of action. My PawPaw would provide the cut posterboard, glue and conté crayons. Sky was the limit for our imagination. His drawings were always so brilliant.

I recently found an old box of these shell drawings. Father Time has taken his toll on the non-archival posterboard, but for the most part, they’re in pretty good shape. I decided I should photograph them before they deteriorate any more. Here are a few of my favorites, as well as one of my creations from back then.

More can be found at ExperimentalArt.space/shell-art

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Cyndi Long in the 1970s, 1980s? with my grandfather, Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr. As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)

Shell art created by Thomas (Tom) Wilson Laney, Sr in the 1970s, 1980s? As his young grandchild, I can remember going to the beach and picking out shells to take home that looked like something we could draw a picture with. At the time, he and my grandmother Christine Dickie Laney lived in West Columbia, Tx (Southwest of Houston.)