Ammonites have been extinct for millions of years, but their legacy still lives on through Kelly O’Dell’s amazing works of art. This glass artist is using her delicate sculptures to pay homage to extinct marine animals, which haven’t been around for millenniums.
The term ammonites or ammonoids refers to extinct spiral-shelled cephalopods, connected to such living marine animals as octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish. They are fossilized forms of long-extinct marine lifeforms and O’Dell became fascinated by them because they tell a unique tale about what we leave behind once we’re gone.
O’Dell spent most of her early years living in Hawai’i, and her journey as an artist was informed by its geological beauty. She grew up around rumbling earthquakes and gurgling volcanoes, and they helped her develop an obsession with her own mortality, which she’s now exploring through her art.
“It is fascinating and devastating that our existence has so much impact on the delicate balance of life. I hope my artwork could serve as a reminder, or ‘memento’ of our borrowed time,” O’Dell told Colossal.
In addition to bringing extinct creatures back to life, O’Dell’s art explores the themes of extinction, preservation, and origin, reminding us of the amazing transformations that Mother Nature went through over the years.
