The spiral, flat seashell shape is a familiar one, but few know what actually live inside. This shell belongs to a creature known as a nautilus. Related to octopus, this creature is mobile, able to jettison itself through the ocean with streams of water. The artist captures its classic shape and adds deep shades of sea blue. Capiz oyster shell adorns its exterior as if it were glistening under water. The basic frame of this piece is created using tin, which is powder coated with a black finish. The frame is reinforced using tin wire along the inner edge. The front of the body is adorned with capiz. Capiz is an oyster shell and the primary purpose of the oyster is as a source of food. However, the by-product, the shell, can be used for decoration. Due to it being a natural material, the natural colors of the capiz may come through as tans and browns underneath the hand-painted surface.
