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.
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.
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Our events this month include the a card painting class at the Sanibel Library and the Sanibel Community House Arts & Crafts Fair - view the list on our Local Events page.
During November we will be sharing holiday-themed illustrations and gift ideas on social media. Several new holiday card designs are now available in the shop! View the New Arrivals. On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our upcoming coloring books, and a new sticker design. Photo above: a spoonbill in flight. Our events this month include the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Fort Myers, Fall Festival at Edison Ford Winter Estates, and the Sanibel Community House Arts & Crafts Fair - view the list on our Local Events page.
During October we will be sharing illustrations for the Drawtober art challenge. Follow our Instagram page to see! Melissa is also working on some cephalopod illustrations that will be shared later in the year. Our new holiday card designs are now available in the shop as a presale until October 18th. View the New Arrivals. On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our upcoming coloring books, and a new sticker design. Photo above: tiny frog on Sanibel. 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. The somewhat bizarre worm shells feature a swirly spiral shaped hollow tube. These shells are made from two related species: the Fargo Worm Snail and the Florida Worm Snail. These snails start making a tightly coiled shell until it's about half an inch to an inch long. Then, the length of the shell becomes uncoiled, changing into this loose swirly spiral shape. This shape allows the Worm Snail to anchor itself to sponges, rocks and corals. It's fairly common to find broken pieces of this shell on Sanibel beaches (like the photo above), and occasionally you can find one with the tightly coiled pointy shell top!
Scientific name of the Florida Worm Snail: Vermicularia knorrii Scientific name of the Fargo Worm Snail: Vermicularia fargoi Coloring: white, tan or light brown Worm Snails are sea snails that live in coastal reefs. They are suspension feeders that trap plankton for food. 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. Our events this summer include a painting lesson at the Sanibel Library and a Summer Arts & Crafts Fair at the Sanibel Community House. Learn more on our local event page.
This month we will be working on some artwork for the holiday season, which you will be able to see later this year. On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our 2 upcoming coloring books. We will also be releasing a new key lime sticker design and discussing a book project and adding a few behind-the-scenes photos of art projects. Photo above: a recent SWFL sunset. Our events this summer include drawing lessons at the Sanibel Library and a Summer Arts & Crafts Fair at the Sanibel Community House. Learn more on our local event page.
This week we will be releasing the new postcard and notecard designs we've been working on recently, as well as some new original artwork additions to the shop. On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our 2 upcoming coloring books. We will also be releasing a new manatee sticker design and discussing a book project and adding a few behind-the-scenes photos of a recent project. Photo above: Bokeelia in Pine Island. 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 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 Our events this month include the Fort Myers Art Walk and a pastel sea turtle drawing lesson at the Sanibel Library. Learn more on our local event page.
This month we will be releasing the new postcard and notecard designs we've been working on recently. There are a few new sticker designs in the shop, and another one will be added soon. On Patreon this month, we will be releasing some digital coloring pages from our 2 upcoming coloring books. We will also be releasing a new octopus sticker design and discussing a book project and adding a few behind-the-scenes photos. Photo above: a sketch inspired by downtown Fort Myers Art Walk. |
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