"Breathing life" into seashells

Born in 1988, Tran Van Thang has over 10 years of experience in the craft of making decorative seashell handicrafts. Sharing his story of how he got into the profession, Thang confided that because his house is near the sea, he often saw beautiful seashells and felt it would be a waste to throw them away. He wondered how he could transform them into beautiful handicrafts. So, more than 10 years ago, he decided to go to Ba Ria – Vung Tau to learn the craft of making seashell handicrafts. Since then, Thang has breathed life into countless seemingly lifeless seashells, transforming them into unique and soulful works of art.

Some of the seashell art pieces were completed by the skillful hands of Mr. Tran Van Thang.

With his flexibility, keen eye, and keen aesthetic sense, Mr. Thang sees the beauty in each shell, large or small, from their color, angles, and roughness, to how to combine them harmoniously to create unique products. Seashells that would seemingly be discarded are transformed by his skillful hands into unique handcrafted art pieces in the shapes of sailboats, coconut trees, lamps, and more. However, creating a complete shell art product is not easy, as it involves many steps: cleaning, polishing, cutting, assembling according to a pattern, and applying a finishing coat. Each step requires meticulous care and attention from the craftsman.

Thang confided: "To create a handicraft product from seashells, the most important thing is having truly unique and innovative ideas and creativity. Only then will the product be well-received by customers. That's why I'm always striving to create new designs that attract customers."

Mr. Tran Van Thang next to his family's souvenir stall.

According to Mr. Thang, depending on preferences, imagination, or emotions, and based on the unique shape and natural color of the seashell, the craftsman will create different products. Many designs are chosen by customers and custom-made. But no matter what kind of artwork or shape it takes, the craftsman must be meticulous and creative to create unique and distinctive "works of art"... while still preserving the natural color and patterns of the seashell.

Reportedly, Thang can produce hundreds of handcrafted seashell art pieces each month, with prices ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of dong per item. After deducting expenses, Thang earns a profit of 15 to 20 million dong per month.

Mr. Thang collects many more beautiful seashells to sell, such as: Golden Shell, White Giai Shell, and Tho Va Bong Shell.

Currently, handcrafted seashell products are selling quite well, especially to the tourism market. Another advantage is that Tran Van Thang's family owns a souvenir shop in the Cam Binh community tourism area. After completing the seashell handicrafts, these products are displayed at his souvenir shop and sell quickly. Tourists from all over the country who come to visit and relax are very interested in the unique products made from seashells because of their unusual material, beautiful appearance, diverse designs, and various sizes. Therefore, many tourists buy them as souvenirs or gifts for relatives and friends.

Besides producing handicrafts, Mr. Thang also collects many beautiful and rare seashells, treating them to give them color for sale, such as the Tho Va Bong, Kim Khoi, and Gai Trang seashells. According to Mr. Thang, these seashells are worth from several hundred thousand to several million dong, but they are still very popular with customers.

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