SHELL BEACH PANEL 2

Entrée n°19

It is now the third week of creating my charred works, exploring the diverse geology of England. This week, I wanted to experiment with shells. Like all geological forms, no two shells are identical; each is shaped by its environment and carries its own journey to becoming what it is. I thought the perfect place to collect them would be Shell Beach in Dorset. With a name like that, I imagined I would be spoilt for choice. While there were indeed shells, they were outnumbered by nudists. Hence, no photographs of the beach itself — only the sign I somehow missed on arrival, informing me it is a very popular naturist spot. While I am no prude, I didn’t feel inclined to create my work in that setting, so I gathered what I could and quietly left.

As Shell Beach offered fewer shells than I had hoped, I worked on a smaller board this week. I carefully arranged the shells across the surface, echoing the natural randomness I observed while still allowing each form to be seen in its own right. Using my photographs as reference, I spent time refining the balance of the composition.

I am particularly pleased with the results — the scalloped edges of the shells have translated beautifully. Their delicacy required a gentler approach: I used a small flame and slowed my usual process, working carefully around each form. I think of this charring process as a form of painting, using the burner as I would a brush, with movement and intention. I seek a naturalistic aesthetic, and I see charring as belonging to the same family as the sumi ink I use, which is itself made from soot.

With enough shells to create two pieces, I photographed the works in a wheat field on the farm where my old studio once stood — a place that continues to inspire me. The dried wheat provided a perfect backdrop, allowing the works to stand out. For clarity, the photographs were taken in the tramlines of the field; I was careful not to trample the crop.

This piece forms part of a wider body of work in which I explore the abstract shapes of this country’s geology. The silhouettes of stones — the way their forms are dictated by place — tell us something about where we stand. I create these silhouettes by burning the stones into the wood, allowing their “footprints” to become the artwork. Each stone carries its own visual story, shaped by its journey to different sites of geological significance, places that might hold a narrative or reveal something about the landscape. Through this process, I am interested in how landscape, material, and memory become quietly embedded in form.

The piece has been preserved using the traditional Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban, where the wood is charred to enhance its natural textures and create a deep, rich contrast. The process not only protects the wood but also gives it a unique, lasting character — much like the geological landscapes that inspired it.