Explore the Story and Soul Behind Dana Shellâs Art
Meet Dana
Born in 1975 in a Romanian city by the Black Sea, Iâve always felt a deep connection to the sea. That bond has shaped my lifeâs journeyâfrom working aboard cruise ships that took me around the world, to finally settling in the Algarve, Portugal, where I live since . Before that, I spent several years living in Italy and Switzerland.Living abroad shaped me by opening my mind, deepening my empathy, and inspiring a more curious, resilient version of myself.
Why shells? Looking back, the sea has always been part of me. Its timeless beauty, raw power, and ever-changing forms mirror what I seek in my artâbalance between order and chaos, simplicity and complexity.
A former primary school teacher and a self-taught artist, I began exploring my artistic side during the pandemicâa time of uncertainty that awakened my creative resilience. Art kept me grounded, and what started as a personal refuge has evolved into a lifelong adventure.
I embrace mixed media because it offers me the freedom to experimentâblending techniques, textures and emotionsâoften with my favorite music or a good podcast playing in the background. My work is intuitive and layered, shaped by curiosity, emotion and the natural elegance of the shells I use.
One of my earliest supporters and first true critic, Professor JF Carrujo of the Lagoa Art School, helped launch my art publicly through my first exhibition. His encouragement remains a meaningful part of my artistic journey.
Art, for me, is more than expressionâitâs how I connect with people and nature, reflect on my journey and surroundings, and continue to evolve as a person.
Art is my Adventure
My creative practice blends the sculptural language of art, the purpose of design and the tactile beauty of making. Working with recycled shells, I create contemporary wall sculptures that connect emotion with form and nature with space.
Rooted in personal memories and guided by sustainable values, each piece reflects my visionâand serves as a personal legacy, transformed into lasting expressions of beauty, presence, and meaning.
Where Nature and Craftsmanship Become Art
The Process & Philosophy
Not every piece begins the sameâsome are sketched, others are sensed.
For larger or more detailed works, I often draw first, building a guiding structure. But just as often, I begin with the shells themselvesâarranging, shifting and listening until a natural rhythm takes shape.
Texture, flow and contrast are at the heart of everything I create. I select each shell for its characterâfrequently choosing the imperfect, broken or weathered ones. These fragments carry stories of time and resilience. No two shells are ever alike and neither are my pieces.
Every composition is slow-built and intuitive. Some evolve like a puzzle; others come together in waves.
I create for those who find meaning in materials shaped by nature. My art is made for spaces that embrace texture, emotion and detailâfor homes that celebrate quiet strength and layered stories.
Whether youâre commissioning a bespoke piece or choosing from a curated series, the experience is thoughtful and personalâfrom the first idea to the final placement.
I warmly welcome thoughtful collaborations with interior designers, galleries, stylists and sustainable brandsâthose who value natural materials, slow art and meaningful storytelling.
Sustainability & Intention
Every shell I use is ethically sourcedânatural, recycled and left in its original form and color. Their textures, edges and imperfections tell stories shaped by time and seaâand I honor that.
I mainly work with Portuguese shells, getting many from local restaurants, markets and coastal communities. Some come from people whoâve collected them over the years, while others are carefully purchased from trusted suppliers abroadâespecially when a specific design calls for something unique.
And I canât forget my best friends: the fishermen. They donât provide live shellsâinstead, I collect those that naturally come up in their nets as part of their daily work. These shells and corals are often discarded as waste, but I give them new life through art. Itâs a way of supporting the coastal economy while staying true to sustainable values.
Sustainability isnât an added feature in my practiceâitâs the foundation.
I create with intention and responsibility, honoring the natural world that gives me my materials. This means working slowly, choosing consciously and making with care.
From the very first shell to the final backing, every element is selected for its quality, durability and environmental impact. My goal is not only to create something beautiful, but to ensure it lastsâphysically, emotionally and ethically.
To me, true beauty is rooted in respect: for nature, for craftmanship and for the spaces where my work will live.
Beauty comes with responsibility
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