Robert DuGrenier

Robert DuGrenier
Townshend, VT United States

Glass artist Robert DuGrenier created this hand blown glass sculpture that is designed to resemble the shell of the Triplofusus Giganteus also known colloquially as the Horse Conch. Structurally this piece is nearly identical to the inspiration from life, however the artist chose to take some liberties with the coloration of the sculpture. By using a translucent green color for the glass, the interior details of the shell stand out; the color of the glass gives the sculpture a luminescent quality that adds to the stylization and detailing. This also allows the viewer a closer look at the technical aspects of this sculpture. DuGrenier studied the anatomy of different shells, and then practiced the fine detailing necessary to make the interior spiral accurate to life. This allows the artist to recreate the delicate spiral in a way that allows the viewer to witness the design without needing to sacrifice naturalism or compromise the artistic vision.
DuGrenier has been creating glass shells for hermit crabs to live in since 1995 and has been studying their habits, habitats and environments. Because the viewer can see and study the movements of the hermit crab, these glass shells have been used by leading hermit crab researchers for the past 20 years, and thus we now know much more than previously about hermit crab communication, mating rituals, shell modification and more. There are more than a dozen aquariums around the world that have glass shells made by DuGrenier that are used in scientific presentations, study, and educational programs.

Dimensions: 12 x 5 x 4 inches