Many people saw the quarantine as an opportunity to explore new hobbies and the time it gave them was a wonderful way to do so. While some attempted to paint or become beauticians by themselves, Anna Chan, a New York-based artist decided to go on the beach and create amazing sculptures of animals with sand and shells.
Interview with deMilked: Anna stated that she began creating sculptures one year ago, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The artist explained that she was unable to find a place to go, so she went to Long Island with her daughter twice to three times per week. “I was out of work for several months and was looking for an outlet to express my creativity.”
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Anna is a jewelry designer who has worked for over 20 years. She says she enjoys creating every day. It was almost electric when my hand touched the sand. The artist said, “I just wanted to create something.”
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Anna was initially inspired by marine life. Then, she became a naturalist. According to the artist, there is so much to be drawn from the infinite beauty of the oceans and the seashells can help her with ideas. “For example, the sheep. I had many moons snails because they are abundant on Long Island beaches. But I didn’t know what I was going to do with them. One day, I saw on my Instagram feed an artist using paper cut from a sheep’s fur with paper curls. Anna explained that the moon snail reminded her of the curly sheep fur. That’s how I put together the piece. Anna also explained that nature and her materials work together to create her pieces.
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“In some of the small works, I used shells that were not available locally because I was still trying to find the right style and technique for my work. Anna explained that my large works use all the shells from Long Island. “Each beach is unique and I know where I can stock up on the shells I need.”
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According to the artist, some of her earliest works took 6 hours from collecting shells until they were completed. Her workspace was moved into her garage, which allowed her to be more precise. Depending on the complexity of her sculptures, she can now finish them in 3 to 7 days. Anna said that the lion was the most challenging piece she has made. It is a high-relief piece, requiring a steady hand and patience to secure the shells to sand.
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Anna said that she is looking forward to exploring more possibilities with sand. “As an artist, I strive to challenge preconceived notions about what a medium can or cannot do. The artist stated that he spent most of his artistic life looking for a connection with a material. He was thrilled to find it at the beach after so many trying times.
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