A Tapestry of Family & Shells

This is a legacy that is far more reaching than
Amy continuing Nana's style of ShellWork with so many years between ....
It is a love & a passion combining art & nature, that we, all of Nana's family, take to heart.

	Our grandmother, Helen Coolidge Woodring, whom we lovingly call "Nana," brought a family together through the love of nature & its wonderments
	Nana's oldest sister, Louise Coolidge Carpenter, made a major contribution to the building fund of the Sanibel Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum in memory of her two younger sisters, Helen & Judith
	Nana's older sister, Judith Coolidge Hughes, wrote for Antiques Magazine & the Barbados Journal researching the authentic history of Sailor's Valentines
	My husband, Bob, trips over boxes of shells daily, names many of the critters in my work with his special humor, & has finally learned the Sanibel Stoop
	My brother, Cooper Jager, has two young children (Nana's great grandchildren) who will be entering their artistic creations for the first time in the 2009 Sanibel Shell Show
	My sister, Jennifer French, sees shell shapes as alphabetic letters, winning a blue ribbon & a plaque for the "Best Novice Entry" in the 2008 Sanibel Show & Fair
	Our mother, Melissa Jager, (Nana's daughter) helps me to look at my designs with a discerning eye & uses her computer to turn shell photographs into digital works of art
	Our uncle, Cooper Woodring, (Nana's son) has entered leaded ("stained glass") shell mirrors and won a second place ribbon in Sanibel
	Our glass blower, Eben Horton, is challenging himself with the edges of technique & creativity making beautiful hand-blown, glass seashells & marine creatures
	Our family memories of childhood days spent on Sanibel with Nana and the entire family were & still are joyous - shelling, learning about shells, and spending time together
	And, Tai Chi, Bob & Amy's Pekinese, is inspired too - she finds the dropped shells on the carpet & buries them (conveniently) in her bed for us to scoop up and put back in their boxes
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	In 1963, Nana entered the Sanibel Shell Show & Fair ...

1963 Shell Show & Fair
in the same Community Center
as today's show is held.

Nana & her "signature" which hung at all her shows.

1963 First Place Ribbon,
Class XX,
Flower Sampler

1963 First Place Ribbon,
Class XXI,
Alice in Wonderland

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ShellWorks for Sale

Click on the picture to view it in a new window, click on it again to view it in a larger size.
To return to the ShellWork page, close the new window.
The colors of the works are as true as I could photograph them - there will be slight variances.
All shells are natural in color - no paint, dye, or varnish.
File sizes and download times will vary. Please note - they are copyrighted images.
The #'s refer to the order built. Shipping is included.
I have never done a commissioned work, but it might be fun to try. No guarantees, but do email if interested.

Please Note: I sell mostly at art shows, pick-up & carry away.
How to & who to ship with has always been a question for me.
If you know of reliable shippers for art works, I could use your help.
Please see the note for shipping "Save the Whales" before buying.

#19 Telescope 2004 SOLD
A wonderful little telescope that collapses into its mini treasure chest & features
a reclining mermaid and a ship sailing by.
My sister, Jennifer French, suggested this idea on our road trip back from Sanibel in 2004.
We live in the mountains of southwest Virginia - the beaches are many hours away.
Jennifer thought it would be fun to pull out a telescope and be able to "see the the ocean."

The box and telescope are reproductions - likely very recent ones at that.
Second Place, 2005 Sanibel Shell Show & Fair
The chest: H: 3 1/2, W: 4 1/4, D: 3
The telescope (extended) H: 6 1/2, W: 1 3/4; (collapsed) H: 2 1/4, W: 1 1/4
$200

#20 Oriental Garden 2004 SOLD
An antique gold finish frame featuring Sanibel
self-collected jingles & coquina, brilliant red pectins & sentis, & carved antique ivory & mother of pearl pieces.
H: 20 W: 12 D: 2
$1,800

#40 Winds of Spring 2007 SOLD
An antique, rich wood frame, with matching interior frame for depth, featuring blowing pink blossoms floating down from a dried sea fan tree. Coquina bunnies & butterflies populate the green hills. A snail & ladybug complete this transitional scene from of the winds of spring to the coming summer.
H: 12 W: 14 1/2 D: 1
$1,100

#35 Art Neuveau 2006 SOLD
This work celebrates the Art Neuveau style of decor.
Between the two mirrored birds stands a fountain with
squilla claws and paired shells suspended from thin wire adding a nice 3D effect. The frame was built to
complement the colors in the work.
Third Place, 2006 Sanibel Shell Show & Fair
H: 13 W: 15 D:2
$1,800

#47 Ladybugs 2008
A razor clam trellis supports the green velvet leaves & eight ladybugs. Made from red pectins and sentis, each ladybug has seahorse tail antenna, black jingle heads, and small groupings of tiny black snails to make their spots. A vintage light gold colored frame houses these critters
Second Place, 2008 Sanibel Shell Show & Fair
H: 11 W: 7 3/4 D: 1/2
$200

#48 Miniature Butterfly Wreath 2008 SOLD
This mini, measuring six by six inches, is a delightful little work filled with butterflies, bees, and flowers. A tiny snail crawls along the border of the silver frame.
This wreath has all the elements of the Martha Stewart Living "workbook" page (May 2008 issue).
Third Place, 2008 Sanibel Shell Show & Fair
H: 6 W: 6 D: 1/2
$400

#46 Save the Whales 2008
Two antique wooden whales are surrounded by a wreath of blue and green mussels with a rainbow of pectins tucked in. Tusk shells form two waves and squilla claws are suspended from thin wire to make a 3D spout. At the base of the wreath is a cluster of orange coral with a purple pectin overlay.

The frame is black with a brown spacer angled inward to the linen backing. A snail crawls along the bottom left of the frame.
First Place, 2008 Sanibel Shell Show & Fair
H: 21 W: 21 D: 2 1/2
$2,600

Please Note: Because of the heavy weight of the coral at the bottom of this piece, it must ship lying on its back for the entire trip. It will stand the test of time hung on a wall - I am worried about the handling & orientation of the box for a long journey.
I would be willing to meet the buyer for a pick-up of up to four (give or take) hours away from Roanoke, VA which is close to my home. Or, if you know of reliable shippers for art works, I could use your help.

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Favorite Works

#15 Triptych 2004
Three vintage frames surrounded by one large frame makes up this unique single ShellWork. Panel One features a horse & carriage in the morning traversing the seaside path. Panel Two opens to the sea with a schooner & lighthouse, flowers & small birds complete the view. Panel Three gives the feel of evening with a small moon & stars in the sky. Two balloons take advantage of the settling evening winds.
A single path winds through all three panels.

#4 Signs of Spring 2003
One of my early & favorite works. This is the picture that the Martha Stewart Living magazine (May 2008) referred to when it said that, " 'You start by envisioning one design, but you always end up with another,' Ramsey says. 'The shells tell you what they want to be.' One of her favorite creations, a polar bear in a snowstorm, actually started out as a stallion galloping through a meadow." What they didn't say is that the stallion got very fat, very fast.... It was time to see what the shells wanted - not what I did.

More stories & favorites to come.... I just love doing my ShellWork!

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Email me at shellwork@bobamy.com