seashell art & nature photography

the sleepy seahorse

For the Love of Nature’s Beauty

The Sleepy Seahorse Seashell Art & Photography is the creative work of Cindy Barbanera-Wedel. That’s Me!

I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to devote my entire life thus far to the creative arts. The idea that art is what makes this too often mundane life worth living strongly resonates with me. Try to imagine your life without music, movies, art on your walls, or books. In addition to inspiring and keeping us entertained and engaged, all of these things express who we are as a civilization and allow us to connect and relate to each other, something that becomes increasingly important in this digital age.

EVERY SEASHELL HAS A STORY

seashell art

The passion for collecting shells and creating art with them is something that has been in my family for three generations. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know all of the common names for the multitudes of species found on our local beaches. Our home was always decorated with them. I grew up near Sanibel Island, which is world renowned for its unparalleled shelling opportunities. For those of us who have caught the shelling bug, the fun is in the hunt. No matter how many you have, it never seems to be enough, and the thrill of finding something special never gets old. The sea is always turning up beautiful treasures for those willing to look for them. These days, I have an entire room devoted to my shells and shell art! In my work, I try to use as many local shells as possible that I hand select myself, but I do incorporate purchased shells from around the world to widen my variety of materials. In my shop, I offer ornaments, decorative boxes, photo frames, mirrors, hair accessories, and various wall hangings including seashell seahorses and turtles, and framed shells.

Shop seashell art

Featured

all good things are wild and free

nature photography

As a native Floridian, I’m captivated by the unique ecosystems we have here at our fingertips. Vast biodiverse wetlands give way to sandy and mangrove coastlines. Thousands of birds migrate over this area on their way to and from South America and the Caribbean. These features are what ultimately make Florida a photography destination. Too often the mystique of Florida’s natural beauty becomes overshadowed by strange news stories, theme parks, and politics. I like to think about this wild and untamed place before humans lived here. It is that raw, natural Florida which I strive to capture in my photography. With my work, I hope to give people a glimpse of my home state as I see it, through a native Floridian’s eyes.

I shoot on a Canon 1Dx Mark II and Canon 7D Mark II with these lenses: