Ron Meece ~ Life

Ron Meece was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1964.  He studied art at Eastern Kentucky University receiving a degree in art and design, with a background in historic preservation from the University of Florida on Nantucket Island. Ron worked as a designer for a number of years in Ohio and eventually moved to Lexington where he worked as a product designer for his family company he currently restores houses and works with shells.  

“My grandmother collected and worked with shells and fossils, so I have been around them most of my life, never paying much attention to them until I spent time on Nantucket Island, where I visited museums featuring wonderful old shell works, which made me take a second look at the shell work of my grandmother. I guess it is in the blood. Upon doing my first shell piece I was hooked from that point, encrusting everything from musical instruments to large pieces of furniture.

I am especially fascinated with grotto type shell work which can be very intricate and take years to complete. Shell work is something I never tire of since each piece has a life of its own with movement and an old world quality.

I have learned to manipulate the shells to create works that are specific to a particular style. French architectural and cabinetry shapes are my favorite, since they are predisposed to the same design elements and many of the shapes seen in early carvings are taken from natural shell elements.

I have worked with many art forms over the years, but I must say shell work is the most satisfying for me because the most common object can become wonderful encrusted sculptures.”