Island Artist Unlocks Hidden Beauty in Oyster Shells

An unlikely audition led Tyne Valley’s Debbie Brady to focus her artistic attention toward something more famous than PEI’s fictional redhead. Debbie returned home from a walk along the shore with an oyster shell one day. With no expectations, she placed the shell under her macro photography lens and was immediately inspired by what she now calls Oyster Art.

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The process begins with a trip to the shore. Less than ten per cent of shells hold the physical details required to create this unique art. Once a shell is selected, a series of extreme close-up photographs are snapped of a very small portion of the shell. These images are then digitally stitched together. The result is a piece of natural art full of patterns and vibrant colours.

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📷 View Debbie's Oyster Art on her Instagram page

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Debbie designed and self-published a book this year that National Geographic recommends as a guide for traveling the Island through oysters. Oyster Art: The Book tells the story behind oysters featured from over 40 Island locations.

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During our interview I called Debbie the queen of transferable skills. She laughed at first, but then conceded to my observation. She graduated from Dalhousie’s School of Nursing on full scholarship and worked as a nurse for a few years. After raising four children, she enrolled in Holland College’s graphic design program where she gained the skills, among other things, to layout a book and digitally impose her art in real world living environments. All these skills allow the entrepreneurial artist to manage all aspects of her work, from creating the art to marketing it for sale.

Debbie’s work can be viewed and purchased via her website or in-person at her home-based gallery located at 795 Canada Road, Tyne Valley.