HO CHI MINH CITY – By chance picking up many shells on the beach, Hieu did not expect that she could make flowers, making them a valuable picture.
Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Hieu, 36 years old, has a disability since a young age so she has difficulty walking and has difficulty holding hands. Her old job was making gemstone paintings.
Six years ago, a British guest wanted to order a painting from a shell, so he came to Hieu for help. At first, because I didn’t think I could do it, I refused.
“During a trip to Vung Tau beach, sitting on the bank to pick up pieces of shells, I tried to put them together to make a flower. Seeing that I was disabled, the people there helped me to scratch a lot of shells. If I think I can do it, I text that guest back to accept it, “said the woman from Dong Nai.
To make pictures, shells were ordered by Mrs. Hieu from the seafarers in Vung Tau. When she received the goods, she sorted, cleaned and then started to work.
“I seldom come up with painting ideas before. Only when holding different types of shells in my hand do new ideas pop out,” she said.
Her weak legs could not walk, so this woman often moved with a sliding table. The hands are also difficult to hold, so each time I use a candle to shoot glue, it will easily burn.
Initially, she arranged the shells into flowers but not beautiful, looking very hard. Do many new sisters discover, if arranged according to the size and natural color of the shell, the flower looks softer and sharper.
This painting of Hieu made of 10 different types of shells for nearly two days.
The Dong Nai woman added that only the shells that are white, pale pink and purple can make flowers. Her snail flowers are completely natural color, not dyed.
Snails have patterns or dark colors, she used to decorate, adorn the picture. The green mussel shells are decorated around her to make leaves.
Many types of snails are scratched on the beach, so Hieu does not know the name. With the shells of this light pink color, Hieu became a cherry blossoms.
Her joy is that her products are not only decorated by customers but are also often used to raise funds for charity.
At an auction, the vase surrounding the vase is studded with flowers made from snail shells during the music night of the blind. “Many of you touched the vase and told me, this is a vase surrounded by a lot of flowers that makes me very touched. I am happy that I can make products, pictures that blind people touch them know.” What’s up there, “she said.
In addition to making pictures, snail shells are also used by Mrs. Hieu to decorate many different objects such as flower pots, photo frames, cups …
“From the day I stick with the shell, I think everything I look at, find a way to attach the shell to be equal”, Ms. Hieu shared.
To make the frame special, the woman flowers the snail shells at two corners and smashes the natural purple mussel attached to the rest of the frame.
Hieu is able to do many different flower shapes depending on the shell.
In the picture is a glass covered with a shell of crushed clam.
The earrings are made by her from small shells.
A small corner of Hieu’s shell painting shop on De Tham Street, District 1.
What makes a gemstone painter like Hieu become passionate and love snail shell painting is that he has made a work of art out of natural “trash” that seemed to have been discarded.
“Broken shells can also be made into beautiful flowers. Like me, even though I am a disabled person, I can still create a beautiful life for myself,” said Hieu.
vnexpress