I have loved seashells since childhood always finding them fascinating and beautiful. After receiving a Masters Degree in Art at Eastern Michigan University I went back to seashells and other mixed media. My desire to make things by hand led me to creating a collection of seashell decor and I have continued that direction.

In my undergraduate years my Minor was in Art History, which meant I spent a great deal of time in the Detroit Institute of Art in Detroit, Michigan. I became fascinated by the enormous frames on the paintings, especially the ones on the Impressionist artwork. Later I found they were used to make the paintings look more important hoping for sales.

The most beautiful were the ones that belonged to the Baroque and Rococo era with sumptuous curves, scrolls, concave corners and rhythmic flowing edges. The gold gilding gave them that ultra rich finish that was my real inspiration for my seashell mirrors. Seashells I think really capture the imagery of the Baroque frames with their soft curves and shapes. The spiky Murex Ramous with it's flared, curvy edges still fits into the Baroque esthetic.

I started with small frames. The small frame evolved when I bought a very large conch shell at a flea market in Ohio. From that shell I created my first major frame using barnacles and a large variety of other seashells that are the basic look for my work. This mirror is also the one where I started using thin layers of paint to change the look of the shells. The gold metallic is my favorite finish; the gold really captures the look of the Baroque frames I saw in the museums. It gives the mirrors a richness of softly glowing light that makes everyone beautiful.

My mirrors are a perfect addition to any decor scheme from a beach house to a contemporary urban apartment. They complement the interior of any home, store display or office with an elegant, sophisticated and unique presence.

Welcome to Dana Ray Art