Montauk Artist Brings Beach Shells To Life In Art

It’s difficult to imagine a better place to collect shells than on the charming beaches of the East End. Gathering shells is usually a leisurely activity, or a hobby for frequent beachgoers, but for Pauline Fotopoulos, collecting shells turned into something much more than just a pastime.

Ms. Fotopoulos fell in love with shells and turning them into works of art as early as the 1970s when she summered on the North Fork.

“I used to go to the beach and find small shells. Eventually, I ended up buying more and more in different stores, not knowing what I was going to do with them, but just because I liked them,” the artist said in her Montauk home that is adorned with shells she has found over the years.

Ms. Fotopoulos dreamed of owning a house in Montauk after being drawn to its serene and picturesque qualities, she said, and when her dream came true, her passion for shell-based art only grew as she moved closer to the ocean. At first a summer getaway from her home in Queens, Montauk is now where she spends most of her time.

The artist’s works feature shells displayed in various ways ranging from a giant galaxy to a petite re-creation of a Montauk jetty, but Ms. Fotopoulos’s first muse was the floral arrangements she created while working in her father’s flower shop.

“I’m very observant by nature,” she said. “Many of the works you can see look like flower arrangements.”

Ms. Fotopoulos was always drawn to the simplicity and timelessness of shells, marveling at the various ways to display them whether they be whole and polished or broken and worn by the sand and sea.

“I like the idea that these are natural and organic,” she commented. “To me, the shells are very priceless.”

Almost five decades later, Ms. Fotopoulos has accumulated nearly 60 works in her collection, mostly consisting of shells glued onto canvases. The true beauty and technique in Ms. Fotopoulos’s pieces can be found in the small details when viewed up close. Her attention to detail carries over to her other favorite medium: jewelry, which she creates out of materials like stones, wood and beads found at craft fairs, thrift stores or specialty shops while visiting Greece, where her family is from.

Ms. Fotopoulos’s creativity knows no limits. When she sees something that can be turned into art, she goes after it, according to the artist. She credits Montauk as her endless source of inspiration.

“When you’re here, you’re free and your mind gets to working,” she said. “I look for what I can use in the place where I am and see if I can make something out of it.”

Pauline Fotopoulos will host an open house to view her works in her home at 28 Farrington Place in Montauk on Saturday and Sunday, August 19 and 20, from 2 to 7:30 p.m. During the same weekend, she will also feature works at the Montauk Artists’ Association’s fine arts show on the Montauk Village Green on Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Her work can be viewed on Facebook at Shell Art & Jewels by Polixeni.