This life-long beachcomber had picked up so many shells over the years that I’d gotten to the point of only collecting ‘perfect’ shells, but this precious whelk spoke to me in ways I can’t express. First, I thought my grandchildren would love to see its beautiful inner spiral, visible only because of the way it had been broken. It was then that my inner artist was reminded of my (RQU) guild’s ‘Spiral Challenge’ and I decided it would be the subject of my spiral quilt.
Abandoned, battered, broken, gray, and worn yet still wonderful!
Its graceful spiral still intact providing structure and strength.
Beauty exists in the world around us and not just in things that are perfectly precise.
May we have eyes to see and appreciate beauty in all its many forms.
My design came from my own actual photo of this found shell found on Myrtle Beach, SC (11/2022).
It was very subtly, strategically painted with Derwent Inktense pencils and blocks.
My embellishment treatments include Australian Colour Streams 2mm sequins, 1/8″ silver-lined opaque glass bugle beads, vintage J&J absorbent 8-ply cotton gauze bandage, and make use of texture magic.
Of 18 quilts completed for this RQU Spiral Mania Guild Challenge, Whelk at Water’s Edge was one of 7 voted to represent our guild in the AQS (American Quilters Society) Guild Challenge in the AQS Quilt Week Grand Rapids, MI 9/2023 Guild Challenge competition. Our group entry was accepted into this show as a semi-finalist in this competition.
It was wonderful to travel to Grand Rapids, MI for the show and see it on display there with the other Guild Challenge entries!
This quilt’s showings also include:
AQS Worldwide Virtual Quilt Parade October 2023.