Atlantic Ave Magazine - April 2017

►
special feature ║ BEACHCOMBER ART
The Long Goodbye
BEACHCOMBER ART
By Diane Feen
photos by melissa korman
{
Beachcomber Art is part museum –
part creative sea shell extravaganza.
Owner Debbie Brookes has made this retail
emporium an homage to her love of sea
shells and its adornment possibilities. She has
embellished the likes of mermaids, large taxidermy
fish, lamps, mirrors, antique medicine
cabinets, companion urns and accessories of
all persuasions.
There is always something to admire at this
shop, and there is constant amazement over
how one woman could come up with all these
adorned masterpieces. But Brookes is that special
genius who never lets common sense get
in her way. Instead she hauls huge bags of sea
shells from faraway places and mixes them in
her cement mixer at home.
That’s what makes it sad that the shop will
close this July. It’s not a final farewell; it’s just
a change of places and spaces. “I am having a
retirement sale of 25 % off on all things made
by me. The rest will be sold online.”
That does not diminish the fact that you can
still buy an elaborate sea shell bra that Brooks
made for an Old School Square charity event
called “Save the Ta Tas.”
There are also dynamic crème-colored chandeliers
with twinkling lights and sea shells of
all texture and origin. Beachcomber mirrors
are still available adorned with sea glass, limpets,
chamber nautilus shells and sea shells.
Looking forward to traveling with my best friend once the studio closes
Another unique find at this eclectic shop of
shells are antique wood medicine cabinets that
decorate walls or cover up electric panels.
There are also oyster shells, glass and
mother-of-pearl decorative boxes and picture
frames gussied up with aqua frosted glass and
sea shells of varying color and shapes. The large
taxidermy fish that hangs on the store wall is a
rare find with abalone, mother-of-pearl, pink
sea urchins, moon shells and sand dollar shells.
If these names don’t sound familiar, don’t
worry most of us are in the dark when it comes
to the lightness of Brookes’ sea shelled being.
She knows what looks great together and what
will excite the visual senses. Of course everything
in the shop has a sea faring origin, and
that’s what makes it so bright and alluring.
Just ask restaurant blogger Cathy Pagano from
New York. “I walked in and saw the most beautiful
environment I’ve ever seen. It’s like an ocean-
Mixed seashells with seafoam colored glass
Mirrors and lamps embellished with seashells
80 April 2017 | www.AtlanticAveMagazine.com