DIGBY, NS- Nancy Bennett decided three years ago she needed a new hobby.
The substitute teacher by day and artist by night started crafting sea glass jewelry for family members.
That hobby transitioned into her Facebook run business, Ocean Dreams, where she now sells handmade art pieces made from sea glass, placed into frames.
“It just took off, people started saying they liked them and it evolved,” she said.
She did enjoy making jewelry but the framed artwork spoke to her.
“It’s my artistic impression, it’s my feelings in the art. It’s very personal.”
For Bennett, her creations are more than just art.
She has spent anywhere between two and a half hours to a full day working on one piece.
“My personal connection with making them is what I think really sets my work apart.”
Some creations have quotes written in them.
Bennett spends time researching each quote to make it suitable for each buyer. If the buyer has a quote in mind, she does take requests.
“I’ll do some research and I’ll find a quote and I’ll say, ‘that’s exactly what I need to do’.”
She’s always been creative, whether it be through scrapbooking or photography. But this hobby stuck with her.
“It’s an evolving process.”
She would like to make one thing clear.
“A part of me is in every piece of my art,” she said.
All the art work is planned and designed by Bennett. Through custom orders, customers can decide what they would like to purchase, and Bennett designs a piece based off their needs.
“It means something to them and I’m putting so much time into it, so it’s personal to me too.”
Some of her designs include flowers, couples, friendship, family and themed creations.
“There’s been a couple I’ve made, I just sit back and think ‘wow I actually made that’.”
Bennett uses sea glass, driftwood, pebbles and other natural materials to make her art.
“I try to use as much natural product as I can.”
Finding a rare piece of sea glass makes her art even more special.
“When I get it, I love working with it. The rare pieces are the treasure to my hunt.”
She’s originally from Newfoundland and Labrador so some of her art supplies have come from there.
In 2017, she took a trip to Scotland and ended up bringing five pounds of sea glass home with her.
“I was in heaven. As the waves came in, so did the sea glass.”
Some of her pieces are completely one of a kind.
Since the supplies she uses are natural material, if she finds something special on the beach she may never find the same material again.
“The coolest part is that some of these creations I will never get to do again.”
Most of her art is sold to Canadians who hear about her Facebook page, but she’s shipped a few to the United States and one to Australia.
To view or purchase her art, visit her Facebook page:
