The Florida horse conch, also know as the giant horse conch, is the largest snail in the United States. They are the state shell of Florida. Horse conchs contain a large opening which has been used as a drinking vessel and for holding other liquids in the past. They are known for their pronounced spiral tips and are popular with shell hunters and collectors alike. Due to the juveniles bright colors, they are easier to spot amongst other shells as they roll in with the tide. These shells can be found around the beaches of Sanibel and other local barrier islands.
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Scientific name of the Florida Horse Conch: Triplofusus giganteus
Coloring: adults range from off white, tan to dark brown while juveniles may be vivid colors ranging from yellow, golden and bright orange.
Size: up to about 24 inches long. The juveniles in the photo are under one inch in length.
Florida horse conchs are found along the coasts of the North Carolina down to the Yucatán in the Gulf of Mexico.

Our events this month include the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Fort Myers, and a painting event at the Sanibel Library - view the list on our Local Events page.

During the summer months we have been focussing on creating new artwork for Halloween, the winter holidays, and some fun cephalopods! We look forward to sharing a variety of new items during the upcoming season. Some hand-painted Halloween ornaments are now available in the shop!

On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our upcoming coloring books. We will also be releasing two new sticker designs.

Photo above:  a rather large shell we recently found on Sanibel.

We're taking a break from any live events this month. Join us in September and October for some fun events - view the list on our Local Events page.

During the summer months we are focussing on creating new artwork for Halloween, the winter holidays, and some fun cephalopods! We look forward to sharing a variety of new items during the upcoming season.

On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our upcoming coloring books. We will also be releasing a new blue squid sticker design and discussing a book project and adding a few behind-the-scenes photos of art projects. 

Photo above:  a sketch of the Banyan Cafe at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.

The smooth, swirly banded tulip shells have an elegant spiral shape that resembles a tie-dyed tulip flower. You can find a variety of sizes, with a maximum size of about 4 inches. The banded tulip is a common shell in Southwest Florida and is also found in other areas of the Gulf of Mexico, eastern Florida, and northern Caribbean Sea.

Scientific name of the banded tulip: Cinctura lilium
Tulips are predatory sea snails, feeding on other smaller mollusks.
Coloring: gray, purple, pink, blue, orange and white with dark brown bands.
Size: up to 4 inches
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Find banded tulips in Southwest Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, eastern Florida and the northern Caribbean Sea. It typically lives on sand between 2 and 150 feet deep. Frequently found on Sanibel Island, you can often find these pretty shells washed ashore, or live snails in or near tide pools.
-Melissa