Each sculptural board begins long before the first shell is placed.

I carefully source every board for its singular shape, size, scale, and history. I strive to choose forms that are balanced, proportional, and inherently unique. No two are ever alike. Each serves as the foundation for a one-of-a-kind art piece. 

For my vintage line, I drew inspiration from legendary surfboard shapers and historic surfing archives, referencing classic California surf culture through books, films, vintage posters, and archival photos to come up with the patterns and designs. For my more natural and organic boards, I look to patterns and symbols that feel timeless and deeply resonant. The Maori Hei Matau, the African symbol for “birds” reflected in Gull, or the flowing Hawaiian vines of Laau Kapu (“Sacred Tree”).

Each composition evolves through careful study, balancing movement, symmetry, and negative space, often guiding me to wait for the exact right board that the design is meant to live on.

From there, the process unfolds slowly and meticulously.

Structural integrity is as important as surface beauty. Before any shellwork begins, I integrate an internal hanging system with fiberglass resin into its back. I then build a detachable, custom installation frame, fitted specifically for that piece, allowing the board to be hung without having to handle the delicate shell surface, preserving its fragile edges.

Every shell is washed, sorted by size, and individually selected before being placed with intricate precision. Using tweezers and a long-lasting custom compound designed for permanence, I build layered, textural compositions shell by shell. The work is highly detailed and deeply labor-intensive, requiring between 75 to well over 100 hours of focused craftsmanship for a single piece.

The process demands extreme patience and sustained attention. Every board is created with immense care, concentration, and reverence for the materials. I pour love and intention into each one, they are not simply decorative objects. They are sculptural, one-of-a-kind works, created slowly, precisely, and meant to be collected as lasting heirlooms.

My hope is that each piece becomes a focal point within a space,  an artwork of quiet beauty that invites the viewer to step closer, to lean in with curiosity, and to experience the moment of surprise when they realize the surface is composed of thousands of tiny shells, each perfectly placed.