sun tusk o2

12 X 12” | A V A I L A B L E‍ ‍| 2 0 2 6

This compact but mighty little sculpture is made from the tube shaped tapered calcium carbonate shells of soft bodied marine mollusks that live in the ocean floor. They are also commonly known as tusk shell, white elephant tusk, shovel foot, boat foot, or tooth shell and are widely used throughout time in indigenous jewelry adornment, gambling, and commerce in native communities along the Pacific Coast from Canada to Baja California.

They symbolized ineligibility for marriage and sacred wealth, known to be the equivalent to the price of a redwood dug out canoe. Indian bankers tattooed marks on their arms with which to measure the length of the shells, as the longest were the most valuable.

Being a native Californian jewelry lover myself, I created a sculptural homage to the culture and history of those inhabiting this land before us and the hallowed significance of this extraordinary little mollusk.

inspiration + materials