A small wave splashes around a turquoise and pearly white spiral shell resting on wet sand.

Turquoise in the Tide

MG-0219

2020-09-07

About this piece

A turquoise spiral shell, banded with pearly white, rests on wet sand beneath a curling sheet of water. Sharp detail in the shell and bubbles gives way to softly scattered highlights, bringing the brief encounter between surf and shore into focus.

The story

I kept the frame close to the sand, drawn to the turquoise bands and the pale sheen between them. Around the shell, the water lifted into a thin, clear edge, catching the light before falling away. I wanted to hold that small interval: the shell still visible, the wave not yet broken. For a moment, the beach became nothing more than color, grains of sand, and water gathering around a spiral.

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