At last Saturday’s session about Underwater Life there were oyster shells to paint, either the traditional teardrop oyster shape or the flatter native oyster shells. Tracy had visited Whitstable beach and helped herself to lots of empty oyster shells which are thrown on the beach behind the Whitstable Oyster Company Restaurant. After a soak in hot water and washing up liquid she scraped off the last of the muscle at the dark muscle scar inside the shells, soaked them with antibacterial spray and left them to dry in the sun. The inside of the oyster shells were all clean to paint with no fishy smell and the outsides were patterned and interesting too.

Everyone who painted a shell came up with a design on the spur of the moment and drew inside the shell with pencil then painted with colourful acrylics. Kay painted with watercolours and the paint did stay on the inside. Her painting of a badger’s head on a flat native oyster shell was much admired and we all agreed it was the highlight of all the shells.

Well done everyone, you painted the shells beautifully and it was fun to try something different!