< Previous40 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 CURRENTS | ART The creation process takes place at Winkler’s island home, where hundreds of shells are waiting to be transformed into art pieces. Stanton, who was a dental hy- gienist for 45 years, is the director of the projects. She teamed up with Winkler, who is an architect, engineer and artist. “Debbie tells me what type of colors or paint I should use for the art pieces,” Winkler said. “I’ll ask, ‘What do you think about this?’ And she’ll say, ‘Nah.’ It’s a great work partnership; we can agree about a lot of things and we may disagree with a lot, but it always works out.” The first step is to gather shells from the beach, Stanton said. “The second part of the process is to clean the shells in a meticulous manner,” Winkler said. “And Debby is absolute- ly fantastic at cleaning them perfectly. It really shows the 45 years of dental hygiene she did. She’s a fanatic.” It’s important to clean the shells and remove any bacteria from them because sometimes the shells will be used as small plates to hold food, Stanton said. “We use muriatic acid and bleach,” Stanton said. “These are going to be used for food. We then scrub the shells with the wire brushes. We also have a grinding wheel where we clean them.” Each shell is hand painted, (Left, from top) A shell in progress sits on Bill Winkler’s desk in his garage studio in Galveston where he and Debby Stanton turn shells into art; shells decorated with sea turtles will be turned into ornaments; oyster shells sorted by size for future projects. (Opposite) Beach-themed shell ornaments. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 4142 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 CURRENTS | ART dipped separately and assembled in epoxy resin, Winkler said. “It’s really fun to put some- thing together and complete it as a team,” Winkler said. “That’s why this partnership works so well between Debby and I.” Sea Shells Arts has expand- ed its offerings beyond napkin rings to include candle holders, charcuterie boards, Christmas ornaments, lamps, tables, mirrors and more upon request. Most of the creative process takes place in Winkler’s garage, where hundreds of shells are cleaned. From the time they find the shells to the time they’re ready for sale can take about three months, Winkler said. “I work on the art pieces all day long,” Winkler said. “I like to get started in the morning when it’s cool, it can get really hot here during the day.” Sea Shells Arts also uses barnacles, clam shells, coral, starfish, sand dollars and shells such as lightning whelks, which are the state shell of Texas. “If there’s a shell that we find, we collect it — all of our shells are from Galveston,” Winkler said. “Of course, they’re not alive when we collect them because it would be unethical.” After big storms, the team goes out for a walk on the beach, Winkler said. “Some of the best finds we have collected have been from the beach after a big storm,” Winkler said. “Storms bring in the really big and pristine look- ing shells. One time, I found about 90 shells.” bill Winkler and Debby Stanton’s art pieces can be found in Galveston stores such as Strand brass and Christmas on The Strand, Tangerine boutique, 29 Degrees North and on the company’s website, seashellsarts.com. (Clockwise from above) Bill Winkler and Debby Stanton arrange oyster shells to create colorful, coastal serving trays; holiday-themed napkin rings made from shells found along Galveston’s beaches; decora- tive shell-covered mirrors and lamps.Become our partner in Galveston, we’ll take care of everything. Vacasa’s modern vacation home management makes the experience life-changing for your home and your pocket. 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The outdoors always has been a part of my family’s Thanks- giving traditions. I can’t tell you how many excellent fishing trips I’ve enjoyed with loved ones. And because of this, November is a good reminder that fishing isn’t always about catching fish. It’s more about who you’re trying to catch fish with. The good news is November typically affords some pretty easy catching opportunities, typically under fairly pleasant weather condi- tions. There will be some stiff north winds with cool fronts this month. But there also will be a lot of days when a light jacket will do for an early morning boat ride, and shorts and flip flops will suffice later on. The best part is, the fish will be hungry. If you can find shell, then most likely you’ll find fish. Redfish still will be found swarming shallow shell reefs along back lakes and marshes. They also will be feeding along deeper mid-bay reefs. Speck- led trout also will be concentrating around shell reefs, particularly those in 3.5 feet to 8 feet of water. When it comes to fishing shell this month, the Galveston Bay Com- plex has everything you need. My approach always has been to target trout this time of year, and to catch redfish coincidentally. The tactic works pretty well and will keep you consistently hooked up. Some of my favorite areas to fish in November include reefs off waterfront properties surrounding Eagle Point in upper Galveston Bay. When the winds are light, which happens quite often during the 11th month, these waters are in good shape and will produce plenty of bites. Mid-bay reefs in East Galveston Bay are another good option. I’ve spent many November days working the edges of Hanna’s Reef and some of the smaller, surrounding shell humps. If you time it right, you can catch some giant specks in these open bay waters, often without another boat in sight. The key is homing in on areas where there are plenty of mullet and other baitfish. A lot of times, the fish are stacked along one small part of the reef; once you find that spot, it’s game on. Confederate Reef in West Galveston Bay is a hotspot for reds and trout during November. Sometimes, the fish are hanging out right on top of the shell, other times they’re concentrated in deeper guts along the edge of the reef. Stretches of streaky water always produce more COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 47 Get out on the water this month and remember to be thankful for every cast.48 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 HOOKED COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 49 bites around Confederate. So, if the water surrounding the reef is gin clear, look for ar- eas that have some turbidity or cloudiness to them. That’s where the fish are going to be. Oyster shell in Chocolate Bay also is worth checking out this time of year, especially along the spoils that line the channel running through this estuary. When the tide is moving, Chocolate will afford some impressive catches. The Texas City Levee and the Texas City Dike are great places for bank-bound anglers and those willing to wade. I’ve had some stel- lar November mornings wade-fishing around the levee and the dike without ever launching a boat. From specks and slot redfish to sand trout, black drum, sheepshead and bull reds — you never know what you might catch there. When it comes to bait presentation this month, I like to keep it old school. Of course, I’ll always have a soft plastic and a topwater in my arsenal. My go-to lure in No- vember, however, is a No. 28 red-gold-yel- low 52MR MirrOlure. That’s right, the original sinking twitchbait. I learned to love this bait from an old salt and Texas City resident who became one of my best friends many years ago. His name was Gene Baldwin and he was renowned among locals for knowing Galveston Bay like the back of his hand. Baldwin died more than a decade ago, but every time I tie on one of these lures, I can hear his raspy voice tell me, “Son, that’s the only bait you’ll need today.” This is another reason why this month makes me appreciate the time I’m able to spend on the water with family and friends. Take advantage of the excellent fishing the upper coast will offer up over the next several weeks. Make some memories and, most of all, make sure you’re thankful for every single cast. (Opposite, clockwise from top) Capt. Nate Skinner and his 4-year-old son, Waylon, spend quality time on the water together. 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