There was not a lot of time for sketching during our recent trip to South Australia, except for a couple of crab claws that were found on Beachport Beach – richly coloured and fairly fresh. The remainder of the shells were found at Corrimal, a beautiful beach just south of Sydney, easy to access for a weekend away. I have decided I have drawn enough perfect shells, so now am looking for broken ones – the inside structure is very beautiful and the shadows suggest other forms. Ideas that can be converted to larger drawings later.
These were drawn in my Stillman and Birn sketchbook, using pen and ink and watercolour.
anna warren portfolio 
Love the broken shells Anna, the shapes are so interesting. Karen
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Thanks Karen – they really are interesting, I find I can draw them from several different angles and keep coming up with different images!
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Making the ordinary extraordinary through art. Do non artists see what we see I wonder?
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Aah, now there’s a question! I do feel that things that are already beautiful have less to offer than the ordinary, or odd, or the things that most people pass over. There is so much beauty in the mundane!
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I think that’s what artists do, find the beauty in everything
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Yes, its part of the job description!
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Ahh – whether we are artists or non-artists we “see” different things from one another.
I agree that broken shells have more room for improvisation than complete shells. Complete shells are rather like closed books or whole circles. Broken shells have so many possibilities.
Lovely fresh drawings, Anna…so free.
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Thanks Julie – I didn’t make too much effort to be totally accurate with these sketches, hence the looseness. I’m looking forward to re-interpreting them. And yes, all eyes are different. I realise I miss things that others observe and vice versa.
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Love your drawings, as someone else said, so fresh….
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Thank you Sue!
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đŸ™‚
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Beautiful snippets of natural history most people overlook. I really appreciate the way you capture the small, overlooked detritus on the beach. So much beauty in little pieces.:)
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When I am walking on the beach I spend most of my time with my eyes down, scanning for interesting objects – its amazing how much there is, even on what looks like a fairly empty stretch of sand. Thanks Gale, there really is beauty in these little things!
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Anna I understand the search and I too get excited over finding the broken and worn down shells, they are so much more interesting and tell such a good story. I love your finds and what you consider quick sketches. I was just in the middle of sketching some recently found shells, they smell of the sea, what a great scent!
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Cathe, you have such a good eye for interesting finds and making wonderful collections! I agree, there is more of a story in the shells that have had a hard life. They don’t lose that scent do they – it takes you right back there!
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Love your drawing đŸ™‚ Bye. K
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Thank you Kamila! Much appreciated.
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I adore your sketches, Anna. Each a little treasure.
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Thank you Elena! Much appreciated.
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love how you give so much character to the smallest things. nice shells and crab claws!
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Thank you so much – I do love the small things, they have so much to tell us.
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Yes, little treasures on paper!
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Thanks Karen – they are such nice little objects to draw.
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