Shell art often conjures images of kitschy souvenirs purchased on the coast—charming knickknacks more suited to surf shacks than galleries. But beneath the deft hands of Katarina Tifft, shells are elevated into bespoke, high-end works of art snapped up by clients eager to showcase them in private residences, businesses, and luxury resorts.
In Katarina’s Gainesville, Florida, studio, a cache of shells is washed, polished, and organized according to size and color. Though varied in form, each petite prize traveled far to its current destination, much like Katarina herself. “I left my country, Slovakia, when I was nineteen,” the artist recalls. “I set out to travel and work at the same time.” From frosty igloos in the Arctic to sun-swept islands in the Mediterranean, Katarina journeyed around the globe. Eventually, she…
