Breeze Artist Spotlight: Ras-T, Conch Shell Carver

Turner proudly holds two finished conch shell carvings standing in front of a large pile of emptied shells he collects from fishermen or that he finds stacked on the reef during his own lobster diving adventures. Below: An intricate carving of a sea turtle with black coral eyes.

JOLIE POLLARD

JOLIE POLLARD

By JOLIE POLLARD

Forty-year-old Thurman “Ras-T” Turner is an expert lobster fisherman turned expert carver. He has immortalized images from the sea and of other wildlife in the form of truly unique conch shell carvings.

Turner is originally from the Cayo District and moved to Placencia Village when he was nine years old. At age 15, he picked up fishing as a trade, later focusing on lobster diving. During the slow season when lobster sales were down, Turner decided to try his hands at jewelry making. He was inspired by a few friends in the Village who were using black coral and the black and white patterned wilks shells to create earrings, necklaces and bracelets.

Then in 2005, Yolanda “Yoli” Tretheway from Yoli’s Bar asked Turner to make her a few conch shell cigarette ashtrays. Tretheway found the typical shallow conch shell ash tray, which can be found at many gift shops across Belize, didn’t work at her bar where the sea breeze kept blowing out the ashes. Turner decided to take a different approach to conch shell ashtray design, cutting away a smaller part of the shell allowing for a deeper tray. It worked, and Tretheway was pleased.

While Turner was custom-making a few more ashtrays for Tretheway, he discovered room for creativity. The natural grooves and shape of the conch shell reminded him of a bird, and he slowly began cutting away the shell and carving out the image using photographic memory. From there, he took off. He carved turtles, dolphins, eagle rays, manatees and even the infamously elusive permit fish, as well as the ubiquitous grunt. Each creature’s eye is a delicately inserted piece of black coral.

His close jewelry-making friends were fascinated with his creations, and became his first customers. Each carving takes Turner about four hours. Recently, he took up a special order to carve a conch shell mermaid. That took him five hours.

Turner enjoys the challenge and notes that his conch shell carvings have succeeded lobster fishing as his primary trade. “When I finish, and I look at it, I feel proud,” said Turner with an honest smile. He just might be the first person in Belize to take it upon himself to create elaborate carvings out of conch shells. Clients on the Peninsula have been flocking to Turner with their custom orders.

Placencia’s newest hotel, Belizean Nirvana, boasts his conch shell carvings as lampshades on their exterior walls, and one condo owner has 30 pieces on display in his home.

Ras-T’s conch shell carvings are sold in Placencia at Robert’s Grove Beach Resort, Art ‘n’ Soul Gallery and Ms. Bettie Jean’s gift shop. They can also be found at Mayan Jade Gift Shop in Belize City between Mirab and the Tourist Village and at Black Orchid Resort in Burrell Boom Village. The artist can be contacted at 625-0713. ▪