Shells

by

Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma dare to call us ‘manic collectors‘. No book is safe from being appropriated for Masterchen’s library and every bone is bagged by Dina, cleaned at home and incorporated into her collection. Today, let’s look at the ever-popular shell hunt. Don’t worry, it’s not about those kitschy shell boxes that are in abundance in bric-a-brac shops at seaside resorts, but ‘shell hunting with class‘ as Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma call it.

Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma erkühnen sich, uns manische Sammler zu nennen. Kein Buch ist sicher, nicht für Masterchens Bibliothek vereinnahmt zu werden und jeder Knochen wird von Dina eingesackt, zu Hause gesäubert und in ihre Sammlung eingegliedert. Heute wollen wir das allseits beliebte Muschelsuchen betrachten. Keine Angst, nicht diese kitschige Muschelkästchen, die zuhauf in Krimskramsläden an Badeorten feilgeboten werden, sondern ‘Muschelsuchen mit Niveau‘ wie Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma es nennen.

Blott’s studio looks like a sweet shop with jars filled with shells.

Don’t you have pockets full of shells when you come home from a walk on the beach? What do you do with them? At best, oyster shells are used as soap dishes or the common mussels to spoon salt or, more rarely, other spices from small containers. Despite all this, the shells eventually end up in the dustbin or in our garden beds. Blott Kerr-Wilson, however, takes a different approach to mussels.

Habt ihr nicht auch, wenn ihr von einem Strandspaziergang nach Hause kommt, die Taschen voller Muscheln? Was macht man mit ihnen? Bestenfalls werden Austernschalen als Seifenschale benutzt oder die häufigen Miesmuschel, um aus kleinen Gefäßen Salz oder seltener andere Gewürze zu löffeln. Trotz allem, die Muscheln landen letztendlich in der Mülltonne oder bei uns in den Gartenbeeten. Anders jedoch geht Blott Kerr-Wilson mit Muscheln um.

Each time Blott places a shell, she has to adjust and readjust it to fit to the next. The shell takes the lead.

Shells fascinate her as an artist because of their harmonious shape. The popular nautilus shells, for example, follow the Fibonacci series. Blott became a shell artist. This is a story along the lines of rags to riches. Blott lived in London in a run-down council house, which she actually only improved for herself by decorating her bathroom with shells. She submitted pictures of this to a decorating competition in World of Interiors in 1993, in which she won first prize. And so she became the world’s leading shell artist, decorating grottos and large houses with her shell art all over the world.
Dina was invited to Blott’s workshop with her photography group to document the magic of shells and her work.

Muscheln faszinieren sie als Künstlerin, wegen ihrer harmonischen Form. Die beliebten Nautilusmuscheln folgen z.B. der Fibonacci-Reihe. Blott wurde zur Muschelkünstlerin. Das ist eine Geschichte nach dem Muster vom Tellerwäscher zum Millionär. Blott wohnte in London in einer heruntergekommen Sozialwohnung, die sie eigentlich nur für sich aufbesserte, indem sie ihr Bad mit Muscheln dekorierte. Bilder davon reichte sie bei einem Einrichtungswettbewerb in World of Interiors ein, bei dem sie den ersten Preis gewann. Und so wurde sie zur weltführenden Muschelkünstlerin, die Grottos und große Häuser mit ihrer Muschelkunst weltweit gestaltet.
Dina war mit ihrer Fotogruppe in Blotts Werkstatt eingeladen, um die Magie der Muscheln und ihre Arbeit zu dokumentieren.

Work in progress. Blott Kerr-Wilson is featured in Claire Bingham’s “The New Naturalists”. A wonderful book which gives us much joy and inspiration.

We read that as early as the 16th century, rich princes and landowners asked seafarers to bring them shells, if possible from exotic beaches, which they could show to the amazed onlookers in their cabinet of curiosities. The magic of the unknown underwater worlds was admired. Today’s great artists like Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth were also inspired by what the sea produced.

Wir lasen, dass bereits im 16. Jh. reiche Fürsten und Landbesitzer Seefahrer aufforderten, ihnen Muscheln möglichst von exotischen Stränden mitzubringen, die sie in ihrem Kuriosenkabinett den staunenden Betrachtern zeigen konnten. Man bewunderte die Magie der unbekannten Unterwasserwelten. Auch heutige große Künstler wie Henry Moore und Barbara Hepworth waren von dem inspiriert, was die See hervorbrachte.

Blott is drawn to the shells for their beauty and so are we.
Blott’s commissions are as luminous, beguiling and opulent as the shells themselves.
Each shell is different, yet so similar.

In painstaking detail, Blott usually glues together ordinary shells to create a kind of mural that immediately fascinated us with its dynamism. It takes a lot of patience to create something like this. It already starts with the fact that you have to collect a lot of shells, which you then have to clean and then glue, held with tweezers, onto the appropriate surface. “And always be very careful!”, warn Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma, because the shells are extremely fragile. If you are not so patient, it also looks great if you present your shells in glasses.

In pingeliger Kleinarbeit klebt Blott meistens gewöhnliche Muscheln zu einer Art Wandbilder zusammen, die durch ihre Dynamik uns gleich faszinierten. Um so etwas zustande zu bringen, bedarf es großer Geduld. Das beginnt schon damit, dass ihr viele Muscheln sammeln müßt, die ihr dann zu reinigen habt und danach mit einer Pinzette gehalten auf den entsprechenden Untergrund aufklebt. “Und immer ganz vorsichtig sein!”, mahnen Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma, denn die Muscheln sind äußerst zerbrechlich. Seid ihr nicht so geduldig, sieht es auch toll aus, wenn ihr eure Muscheln in Gläsern präsentiert.

Blott’s favourite shell, the tiny blue: It’s the one that gets put on the compost heap – nobody notices – yet it is the only blue shell that exists in nature.

You can also present particularly beautiful shells individually in your home. Selma 🙂 thinks that beautiful shells belong in the bathroom, they call for moisture and water. Some shells are like stones that you bring back from the sea, they look especially beautiful when they are moist.

Besonders schöne Muscheln könnt ihr auch individuell in eurem Heim präsentieren. Selma 🙂 meint, einzelne, schöne Muscheln gehören ins Badezimmer, sie rufen nach Feuchtigkeit und Wasser. Mit manchen Muscheln ist es wie mit Steinen, die man vom Meer mitbringt, sie sehen besonders schön aus, wenn sie feucht sind.

Shells in motion

And the moral of the story is that if you are already infected by the passion for collecting, then you should honour the collected objects by doing something with them.

Und die Moral von der Geschichte’, wenn man schon von der Sammelleidenschaft infiziert ist, dann sollte man die gesammelte Objekte damit ehren, dass man mit ihnen etwas macht.

Happy collecting

Wir wünschen fröhliches Sammeln

The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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© Text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers and Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea, 2023

153 thoughts

  1. Sehr schön!
    Das mirt der Geduld, die dazu nötig ist, Objekte damit herzustellen, ist mir vertraut durch die Insektenfotografie.
    Schon da 5. Foto, unterschrieben mit
    Blott’s commissions are as luminous, beguiling and opulent as the shells themselves.
    zeigt die absolut feine und irrsinnig komplexe Art der Gestaltung. Mich erinnert das auch an die Chitinpanzer von Schwebfliegen oder Bienen, deren Schalen ganz fein überlappend und zart in einander übergehen.

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    Reply

  4. I tried to ask AI what it knows about mussels. Here it is:

    Mussels are a type of bivalve mollusk that are widely consumed as a delicacy. They are highly valued for their sweet, delicate flavor and tender, meaty texture. Some of the common species of mussels that are consumed include the blue mussel, the Mediterranean mussel, and the New Zealand green-lipped mussel.
    Mussels are usually found in coastal waters and are typically harvested from wild populations. They can also be farmed in controlled environments, which can help to conserve wild populations and reduce the impact of overfishing.
    In terms of nutritional value, mussels are an excellent source of protein, as well as vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. They are also low in calories and fat, making them a healthy addition to any diet.
    When it comes to cooking mussels, there are many different ways to prepare them. Some popular methods include steaming them with herbs and spices, grilling them with garlic and butter, and incorporating them into stews and soups. It is important to note that mussels should be thoroughly cooked before eating to ensure that any harmful bacteria or parasites are eliminated. They should also be checked for any signs of spoilage, such as a strong or bad odour, or a shell that does not close when tapped. Overall, mussels are a tasty and nutritious addition to any seafood-based diet, and with so many different ways to prepare them, they offer a great deal of culinary versatility as well.

    I was amazed that it looks at the mussels from a culinary standpoint.
    Maybe I should have asked about shellfish?
    Siri Buchfee 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Hi, dearest Siri and all the rest of the Fab Four,
    You gave me the idea to ask the AI programme about shellfish and this is its answer:

    Shellfish are a type of seafood that includes mollusks such as clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops, as well as crustaceans like shrimp, crabs, and lobsters.
    Nutritional Value: Shellfish are a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. They are also low in fat and calories.
    Habitat: Shellfish can be found in both saltwater and freshwater environments. Some species are found in the ocean, while others are found in rivers, lakes, and streams.
    Harvesting: Shellfish can be harvested by hand or using equipment such as dredges, traps, or pots. Some species, such as oysters, are farmed in controlled environments to ensure a consistent supply.

    And then it goes on about culinary uses. It seems to be that the AI is always hungry 😉
    Thanks for this arty blog about shells. Hanne-Dina’s photos are great like always.
    We have shells in Spitsbergen as well. The walruses feed on them.
    I hope you are healthy and happy again. Shall we phone tomorrow?
    With lots of love from the North your friend
    Per Magnus

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    • Hallo, our dearest friend Per Magnus,
      we love it that you write ‘it seems to be that the AI is always hungry’ – GREAT 👍
      Thanks for asking this AI programme as well as for liking Dinas photos.
      Indeed, we saw the colonies of walruses. They eat masses of mussels and then they lie on the beach farting. It stinks, puh!
      What about phoning around 19:30h our time tomorrow?
      Lots of love ❤ back from all of us
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  8. Although we do pick up the occasional shell, we are in the habit of collecting pieces of sea glass. We have so much now that my wife has placed them in a large (Kilner) jar with a line of those line lights. The jar sits in the window and glows beautifully (especially with the kitchen light off of course!) 😊

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    • Hi Mike,
      we can very well imagine that a jar of sea glass with lights for bottles looks great. You gave us a bril idea, thank you 🙏 🙏
      Keep well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Ich gehöre auch zu den Sammlern. Allerdings sammle ich nicht nur Muscheln, sondern auch Versteinerungen wie Donnerkeile, Seeigel und mehr. Bei mir steht all der Reichtum in Gläsern und Flaschen dekorativ in Regalen und auf Fensterbrettern statt Blumen 😉
    Liebe Grüße von der Silberdistel

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    • Wir glauben, dass fast jeder Mensch irgendetwas sammelt.
      Versteinerungen wie Seeigel, Ammoniten etc., speziell all jene aus der Kreidezeit, sind ja auch, was der Engländer ‘shellfish’ nennt, eben shells, nur eben sehr alte. Fossilien finden wir auch faszinierend. Wir sammelten auch welche bei Holzmaden und Sonthofen und hier an der Jurassic Coast. Wir lieben Ammoniten. Die in Gläser und Flaschen aufzubewahren, können wir uns gut vorstellen.
      Vielen Dank. Bleibe gesund und fröhlich
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Muscheln verströmen eine ganz besondere Magie. Da ich meine Sammelleidenschaft kenne, versuche ich, mich beim Muschelsammeln auf einige, ganz wenige Exemplare zu beschränken – ein oder zwei als Erinnerung und vielleicht ein paar, die sich für die Weiterverarbeitung zu Schmuck eignen…
    Danke für die tollen Einblicke in die Arbeit der Künstlerin.
    Euch allen ein schönes Wochenende
    Belana Hermine

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    • Guten Abend, liebe Belana Hermine,
      wir glauben auch, die Kunst der Sammler besteht darin, sich zurückzuhalten. Für Schmuck eignen sich einige Muscheln. Masterchen hat einen schönen Anhänger mit einer in Silber gefassten kleinen Muschel.
      Habe Dank fürs Kommentieren. Auch dir ein schönes Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Her work is stunning! I particularly like Shells in motion, but the Shell House in Wales is extraordinary. On my kitchen windowsill I have a collection of my favourites. They do get dusty but my bathroom windowsill would not accommodate them. I need a cabinet, or maybe I should try framing some. It’s a beautiful idea.

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  16. Dear FabFour, OMG! That is some collection and those Murals, Wow!
    I think, Shells preserve poetry that sea waves write on them or may be they are autographs of the beautiful inhabitants of the underwater world. As always, I loved all the photographs and the article, including one that was contributed by AI. I too, love collecting shells and colourful stones near river, whenever I go but looking at those jars, I felt like I am in a candy shop. ❤️😍

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    • Dear Nehal,
      thank you very much for your kind comment.
      We like your idea that ‘shells preserve poetry that sea waves write on them’. GRFEAT 👍 Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma agree with you. They are sure that they are autographs of the mermaids.
      You are absolutely right, with collecting shells in jars your home will look like a candy shop eventually. But so what?
      It’s amazing what these AI programmes are able to produce. And they are getting better as more you use them.
      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Well, as a mermaid you are used to shells, of course. On land you need your shells to feel at home and therefore we imagine you have shells everywhere in your rooms.
      Thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, dear Jane.
      This is indeed a respectful way to use nature’s gifts. And Blotts art is really well done. We have never seen anything like this before.
      Warm greetings from the cold sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. How nice to learn about Blott’s work with shells. I have a large collection of shells which I present in glass vases and on glass trays. Some are in the bathroom, but I ran out of space. When I was a small girl I used to make shell people using glue and the shells I found on the beach.

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  25. Fascinating what the artist makes out of the shells. I can imagine how long it takes to make such amazing and beautiful pieces. I made a little display out of my shells, stuck them down, sand in between and it is a picture in my bathroom now. In my house nothing gets wasted. 🙂
    I admire the beautiful art.
    Thanks for showing it to us.

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    Reply

    • Dear Ute,
      you are very welcome.
      We like this attitude that nothing gets wasted in your house.
      To produce such murals is much too fiddly for us.
      With love ❤ from the sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  27. While living on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, we became accustomed to picking up shells. The pretty ones found jars. The others the dust bin as you have pointed out. These are beautiful photos of Blott Kerr-Wilson’s work. Have a glorious Sunday F4.

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    • Hi Jochen
      Nee, genau umgekehrt, alle diese Bilder sind zum Verkauf gefertigt. Sie verkauft weltweit und nimmt Aufträge in der ganzen Welt an. Zur Zeit arbeitet sie an einem Auftrag für ein Kunstwerk für ein Schiff. Sie wurde als weltführende Muschelkünstlerin von Magazinen weltweit vorgestellt.
      Wir haben nicht gefragt, für wieviel sie ihre Kunstwerke verkauft.
      Herzliche Grüße vom Meer und danke fürs Kommentieren
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Danke, liebe Syntaxia und Felix,
      ja, da ist mehr Geduld für notwendig als wir aufzubringen bereit wären. Aber die Endprodukte sind großartig.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  31. Wow, what beauty she creates, honoring the beauty of the shells she uses! I love this: “And the moral of the story is that if you are already infected by the passion for collecting, then you should honour the collected objects by doing something with them.”

    janet

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    • Good morning, dear Janet,
      we think, collecting just for the sake of collecting is cluttering your house. You have to do something with your collection otherwise it turns into a curse.
      Thanks for commenting.
      Wishing you all the best. Keep well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  33. Überwältigend schön, ja, dies ist dies alles.
    Ich bin nicht oft am Meer, doch klar, wenn, dann werden Muscheln gesammelt. Ich nehme dazu auch mir ungewöhnliche Steine und Sand mit. Alles Dreies richte ich quasi in großen Gläsern an. Man kann sie dann von allen Seiten betrachten und ich weiß mit Sicherheit, dass sich alles lange hält und für gute Erinnerungen sorgt.
    Liebe Grüße zu Euch von mir.

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    • Ja, liebe Edith, so gehen wir auch mit unseren Funden vom Strand um. Anders jedoch Dina, sie reinigt ihre gesammelten Knochen, bleicht sie und dann werden sie in ihrem Studio ausgelegt, bestimmt und fotografiert.
      Es macht natürlich einen Unterschied, ob man wie wir den Strand vor der Haustüre hat oder er mit Ferienerinnerungen verbunden ist.
      Mit ganz lieben Grüßen ❤ von uns zu dir
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Bin begeistert von diesen Bildern, lieber Klausbernd und auch dem interessanten Bericht dazu! Kenne ähnliche “Sammlerleidenschaft” nicht nur am Strand ja auch von mir und was Selma daraus für hübsche Dinge anfertigt ist wirklich ganz bezaubernd!
    Liebe Grüße an Euch auf die so schöne Insel und lasst es Euch alle, hoffentlich wieder ganz gesund, gut gehen! 🤗🍀🌞

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    • Guten Morgen, liebe Hanne,
      zum Glück sind wir wieder völlig gesundet und laufen wieder munter in der Gegend herum.
      Wir als Fab Four vereinigen ja viele Sammelleidenschaften von Knochen über Bücher und Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma lieben Fossilien und Kristalle. Bisweilen ist es schwer, für all das einen Platz zu finden, aber es verschönert auch unser Heim und macht es gemütlich.
      Dir auch ganz liebe Grüße von uns ❤
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Vielen Dank! Wir kannten das Werk von James Brunt noch nicht. In der Tat, das ist ähnlich. Er scheint eher mit Steinen zu arbeiten, kommt aber auch zu mandalaartigen Formen.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom heute grauen Meer wie Storm es beschreibt
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  39. What an interesting post Fab Four!! I loved the art so much and especially love that she became so in-demand after taking the chance in a competition. I have two good friends here who use shells from our beach to create sculptures. I profiled one of them here https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2020/08/15/lens-artists-challenge-110-creativity-in-the-time-of-covid/. Totally different but using a similar subject. Personal creativity, especially when acted upon, is a marvelous thing! Enjoyed this one very much.

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    • Thank you very much, dear Tina.
      Indeed, it’s very different and similar as well. Shells seem to have the power to inspire, to trigger our creativity.
      Wishing you a great week, stay healthy and happy
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Stella,
      thank you very much for the info about Tibet on your blog.
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma like to organise seashells in our garden as well and not only seashells. Sometimes they get some bones from Dina’s collection and lay them out in nice patterns. But animals usually destroy these patterns what we don’t mind.
      Wishing you an easy week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • I had no idea that this was still going on in Tibet, a disgrace!
      The same happens here, especially in winter when I feed the birds, they make a mess. 😀 On one beach we find quite large snail houses, they are great for the garden.

      Liked by 2 people

  44. What a fascinating story. I’m not sure I have the patience to collect, clean and organize such a beautiful collection and I would definitely need a larger art studio. Perhaps I could start small and only collect the shells as I need them . Thanks for sharing this story. It is inspirational.

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  46. Wow, she has taken this idea to a new level. I like the way she puts things off-center and works with textures. Speaking of textures, Dina’s photos are fantastic. The three shell studies would make a great triptych. WHen we were kids, my two brothers and I made a carefully arranged and labeled shell display for my grandparents. We spent Easter at their house on the Georgia, USA coast each year and we loved collecting shells. It was a sweet thing that we made and for once, we actually cooperated together on a project. 🙂 Cheers from sunny, cold, Washington State!

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    • Dear Lynn,
      first of all thank you so much for liking Dina’s photography.
      We love such displays with labelled finds. Unfortunately, we never made some. We can picture very well how you were doing these displays of shells with your brothers. Do you have them still?
      Here it’s sunny but not cold anymore. The sea is still cold whereas the air is quite warm.
      Cheers from the North Norfolk coast
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • No, we don’t have it. It stayed in my grandparent’s house, which made sense because it was only shells that we found there. After they died it must have been thrown away. 😦
      Now that I think about it, it was a precursor to some of what I do now – I chronicle and identify the plants that grow near me with my camera. 🙂
      We’re heading to Vancouver, Canada (only a two-hour drive) this week, where we plan to meet another blogger. That should be fun!

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Lynn,
      have a great time in Vancouver. We have blogger friends in Vancouver as well. They visited us a couple of years ago. It’s the Budd-family. Maybe you know them from blogging too.
      We started to photo-document all the flowers in our garten. Unfortunately, we didn’t update it.
      Keep well, take care
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  47. Thank you for the introduction to Blott Kerr-Wilson. She has a passion – even a calling for her creative endeavours that brings the beauty of the ocean to life. I enjoyed your foray into AI, something that is in hot debate right now. What we know, despite all the rhetoric, is that AI is with us and it will become ever present and ubiquitous in our daily activities. We live in interesting times. Many years ago, a professor advised me to be open to “emergence.” And here we are.

    Always a joy to stop by! Sending much love and hugs to my dear friends, The Fab Four of Cley.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Rebecca,
      thank you very much for your kind words 🙏 🙏
      We are sure that AI will get more and more important in our daily lives. We think it’s a helpful tool and we already notice it helps us to save a lot of time. This programme is just searching the internet but if we would do that it would take much more time. But we are sure that eventually it will go beyond that.
      With big hugs 🤗 and lots of love 🥰
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you very much for your comment, dear Sandra.
      This collecting and working with shells is Blott’s full time work. She lives of her shell art by talking commissions world wide. That’s a total different dimension as collecting shells like you and we do.
      Wishing you a happy day
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Robert,
      thanks a lot for your kind words 🙏 🙏
      Indeed, there is so much beauty all around. The magic is to see it.
      We immediately loved the shell in the glass containers as well.
      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  51. I sure wish I had known Siri and Selma when I was a kid… to have been able to borrow Siri and Selma’s words and tell my parents after coming back with treasures after walking on the beach that I was “shell hunting with class” would have been fun 🙂 What beauty Blott Kerr-Wilson can create, and thank you very much for the introduction to her work… and Dina’s photos are excellent, as always. Those mussel shells are something else, relaxing and refreshing to view. Cheers to the Fab Four as we close out another week 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks a lot, dear Randall 🙏 🙏
      Well, Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma made us smile quite often. They are clever, aren’t they? But being their parents is great but not easy.
      It amazing what Blott does and having this patience.
      Thanks for liking Dina’s photos.
      Wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  52. Hallo Fab Four of Cley,
    wie gut, dass das böse C nun auch wieder Eure Zuhause verlassen hat!

    Beim lesen dieses Beitrags habe ich direkt Lust bekommen, Muscheln zu sammeln und diese auch so schön sortiert in Gläsern aufzubewahren…. 🙂

    Habt ein wunderschönes Wochenende!
    Barbara

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Guten Tag, liebe Barbara,
      wir sind auch froh, dass das böse C – welch schöne Wendung – uns verlassen hat und wir wieder guten Gewissens Menschen treffen können.
      Muscheln geordnet in Gläsern aufzubewahren hat etwas faszinierendes. Es erinnert uns daran, wie wir Kinder mit roten Bäckchen und Glitzeraugen im Süßigkeitenladen die Gläser voller Bonbons gierig bewunderten.
      Vielen Dank fürs Kommentieren.
      Auch dir wünschen wir ein rundum schönes Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  54. Such beautiful shells: both the things themselves, and the art made from them. The photographs and the ‘mosaics’ are equally delightful. They brought to mind Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s wonderful book, Gift From the Sea. I first read it in the early 70s, and am on my third or fourth copy, since I keep giving copies away to friends. It’s a slender volume, with each chapter focused on a particular ‘gift’ from the sea — like shells. Here’s one of my favorite passages:

    “The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasure shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.”

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    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Linda,
      thanks a lot for your comment and quoting this passage from Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s book. We love this book as well. We came across this book when writing about the kidnapping of her baby son.
      She really got the essence of what it means being at sea.
      Our dear Siri 🙂 just noticed that unfortunately this book got lost in our library. We have to ask our dear Master, usually he finds misplaced books.
      Wishing you all the best, take care
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  56. Beautiful art excellently photographed by Dina! Much work to make this shell art – but the results are breathtaking! Thank you for showing the interesting ways possible for preserving the shells too.

    Liked by 2 people

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  57. Auch wenn wir hier in der Schweiz keine Möglichkeit haben, Muscheln am Meer zu finden: Die Sammelleidenschaft kennen wir auch. Hier sind es dann halt schöne Steine, Bergkristalle, Goldflitter aus den Bergbächen… :–)
    Eure Fotos von den Sammlungen und Muschelkunstobjekten sind einzigartig und laden zum Verweilen und Staunen ein.
    Ich bedanke mich für Wort und Bilder und lasse liebe Sonntagmorgengrüsse hier,
    Brigitte

    P.S. Mir ist sofort auch der Lese-Klassiker “Muscheln in meiner Hand” von Anne Morrow Lindbergh in den Sinn gekommen.

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    • Guten Morgen, liebe Brigitte,
      Steine und Bergkristalle zu sammeln, ist sicher genauso befriedigend wie Muscheln zu sammeln. Es gibt bei uns am Strand auch besondere Steine, nämlich Karneole, die Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma eifrig sammeln. Wenn sie Glück haben, finden sie auch Jet.
      Habe herzlichen Dank für deine lieben Worte.
      Anne Morrow Lindbergs Buch lasen wir vor einiger Zeit, als wir über die Entführung ihres Babys schrieben.
      Wir wünschen dir einen rundum feinen Sonntag
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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