Marta Howell learned how to make jewelry the old-fashioned way - wandering the beaches of the small village of Kohtao, Thailand, finding and polishing shells by hand. Practicing a combination of art and serendipity, Marta was able to find worlds beauty within the layers of each gift from the sea. Before she knew it, she found herself with a thriving business for her unique products.

Years later, Marta now works out of her oceanside studio in Kailua, Honolulu. The waters of the Pacific provide her with mother-of-pearl and corals that adorn her pieces, many of which are also combined with semi-precious stones bound with silver. As her popularity has grown, so has her reach - Marta now solicits shells and pearls from all around the world, from oysters to abalone and New Zealand to Norway. As Marta says: "I see art in every piece of shell. It's a never-ending adventure."