Scallop shell Print

I like scallop shells. First of all, scallops are delicious, when prepared correctly. Unfortunately, that is quite rare: they are usually either too slimy or too chewy. Secondly, there is powerful symbolism associated with them. The shell is linked to pilgrimages, especially to Santiago de Compostella, where the image of the shell is a pointer to the trail. One of my alma mater universities, Reading University, features the shells in its coat of arms, probably as a reference to the abbey of which the college was a part in its earliest form. The final reason why I am fascinated by scallop shells is that we had them lying around the house when I was little and I was drawn to them. This painting scratches those itches and was part of a small series of three still lives of shells on small 15 x 15 centimetre canvases.