Lisa Orlans, aka Rocky Road Art Studio, an American artist from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has beautifully combined her love for beachcombing and art by decorating snail shells with intricate patterns. Her artistic journey began with a simple family activity of painting rocks and hiding them for others to find, which blossomed into a full-fledged passion for creating art from nature’s treasures. During the pandemic, Lisa turned to the woods and wetlands for solace and inspiration, where she collected empty apple snail shells.
These shells became the canvas for her creativity, as she meticulously cleaned, painted, and adorned them with pearls, studs, or rhinestones, transforming them into stunning pieces of art. Each shell takes about six hours to paint, after which Lisa seals them with resin to enhance their glossiness and durability. Her work is a testament to the beauty that can be created from the simplicity of nature, and her pieces are sought after by many who appreciate the unique blend of natural form and artistic expression.
These are apple snail shells, they are discarded by the birds, I collect them and sanitize them before painting. Ethically sourced. Although it would be so cool, I do not recommend any painted shells for Hermit crabs. Unfortunately, it just isn’t healthy for them.
Lisa Orlans
