Saw Palm Florida Literature & Art

Just published! A photo of my work: Purplish Seahorse in volume 19 of USF’s lit mag!

This piece is layered glass, covered in resin.

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2025

Go Big or Go Home! Larger Art Pieces are Here!

Seahorses are like people, some tall, and some short! The largest of the creatures is the Big-Bellied Seahorse, not a very romantic name, but it does give you a good visual. The Big-Bellies can grow more than one foot long! They inhabit shallow waters of Southern Australia and New Zealand.

Greater Seahorse 2, KJadon, 2024; Glass & Resin, Sold

Rather fascinatingly, the Big-Bellies can take their long tails and wind them in or wind them out, anchoring themselves to seagrass or even to other seahorses. Mating for life, a pair of Big-Bellies will hang out together for about six years down under.

Greater Seahorse 1, KJadon, 2024; Glass & Resin; Available at Do Over Decor, Jensen Beach, FL

When mating, the female will push her belly against the male’s brood pouch, at the base of his tail. She will inject 300-500 eggs through an egg duct. The brood pouch becomes a placenta, sustaining the foals with nutrients. Like all seahorses, the male carries the eggs until they are ready to swim on their own.

Greater Seahorse 3, KJadon 2024; Glass & Resin, 15 x 22; Now Available

These larger art pieces are created upon reclaimed glass shelving. This type of glass is thick and durable and able to hold the glass and resin that I layer atop.

Other pieces of glass are remnants from bottles, vases, fancy dishes, stemware and plates. I use these types of glass because they have shape, curves, texture and sometimes prints that are unusual. I especially like to place them as the crowns on the seahorses’ heads. Some small shards are leftovers from other artists’ stained glasswork. Approximately 99% of my art is eco-art, utilizing repurposed and recycled glass. It arrives from friends, thrift shops and a garage sale or two!

See my Stone, Shell and Jewelry Art! Paintings Smaller Glass Pieces

Artwork Available Locally at Do Over Decor and Sand & Sea Boutique

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2024

The Greater Seahorses Are Here!

“How does a male seahorse give birth?”

“With a Sea-Section!”

Funny but half-true. Among this unique species, it is the male who gives birth. Tiny baby seahorses are ejected from the male’s abdomen into the coastal waters. The number ranges from dozens to thousands!

JBCC Breakfast, with Cindy Charette

In May, I was invited by Cindy Charette, owner of the Sand & Sea Boutique in Jensen Beach to introduce my seahorse art at the Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce breakfast.

Great Seahorse #1, Kelly Jadon, 2024, SOLD

I am currently working on a series of greater seahorses—larger pieces. Beginning with a recycled glass shelf, I drew an outline of what I wanted to create on a piece of paper. Placing the shelf on top, I began to move dark blue glass into the perimeter of the seahorse—a male—and later filled in layers of other stained glass.

Great Seahorse #2, Kelly Jadon, 2024—in the works

I have another shelf in the works! I located a really cool (is that word still acceptable?) blue-purplish dish that I utilized for the animal’s back dorsal fin. Other bits and segments are incorporated on the crown, head and along the back. Greater Seahorse #2 is soon to be finished and will be 12x21”. Currently, the clear area around the creature is being filled with a variety of glass motifs.

Summer’s upon us. Down here in South Florida, it’s already hot, hot, hot. The gators are on the move, with a sighting on my street late one night this week. Huge softshell turtles are digging up my flower beds to lay many nests of eggs. But the kids have finished school. The snowbirds have flown up north home and families are leaving for vacation.

My creations are approximately 90% recycled materials. I’m always in search of glass from busted up shower doors and colored or stained glass, especially brighter colors. Please let me know if I can take it off your hands. ;) Thank you for your interest in my artwork.

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2024

South to Guatemala

The Guatemalan mountains shrouded in cloud cover are home to the Resplendent Quetzal. This bird makes its home in the canopy of the rainforests at very high altitudes.

During ancient times, the Mayan people prized the rare green tail feathers of the Quetzal, using them as a form of exchange. This idea persisted into modern Guatemalan culture with the currency of Guatemala called a “Quetzal.” The beautiful bird is also the national bird of Guatemala.

Resplendent Quetzal, Kelly Jadon—Glass and Resin, 2024, For Sale

In this piece I created an artistic rendering of a Resplendent Quetzal using glass beads for the layered mosaics of the bird and the flowers. A large piece, it is covered in resin. It is for sale in my studio.

If you'd like to see it in person or host it for a time on loan, please contact me. Thank you!

(C) Kelly Jadon 2024

Do Dolphins Blush?

In the Gulf of Mexico, along the coast of Louisiana, a pink dolphin or two skim waves, bottlenosing into the depths again. One in particular is known as “Pinky.” Some scientists believe that she has a genetic mutation causing her pinkish hue. Other biologists think she may be an albino dolphin. She, however, is a delight to those who catch a glimpse of her.

Pinky lives in a pod of normal grayish colored bottlenose dolphins. Recently, she was seen with her own little pinky calf.

Artists love color. My dolphin projects are specifically chosen to highlight the need to protect these water mammals, especially those which garner public attention.

“Dolphins” Glass and Resin, Kelly Jadon, 2023

The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program explains that as the waters of the Gulf of Mexico increase in temperature, it is not uncommon to notice in summer months, that dolphins will have a pinkish color, known as “blushing” on their underbelly. Beings mammals, they too get hot and need a way to release excess heat. Humans can sweat. Because the creatures live under water, they cannot perspire. Their excess heat is given off by sending it to the outer perimeter of their bodies where it comes into contact with the cooler water. This creates the “blush” on the bellies of dolphins.

Rose-hued dolphins can be seen off the coasts of Louisiana, Florida and Texas.

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(C) Kelly Jadon, 2024

Where it all begins...

Where do I get these strange ideas—breaking up glass to make something new? I really don’t know. I just look at a piece of glassware—a teacup, a vase, a plate—and I think, “Could I do something with this?”

One of my scrap boxes

“Will the color work for a seahorse, a dolphin, or waves?”

I recently completed this piece, “Pinky Too,” a second repurposed dolphin glass sculpture. The dolphins are dimensional mosaics made of tiny pieces. The waves are a recycled vase or two with crushed glass applied to the tips. The dolphins are positioned, as jumping out of a long conical vase that’s been turned on its side. Little circular glass pieces adorn the entire piece, as if they are water bubbles.

Beneath the glass bricks is the base—a former glass picture frame.

I take cutters and break the glass into the shapes I need. For Christmas, I received a special pair of gloves to protect my hands while completing this task. Who’d have thought there was such a thing? :)

At times, I need very tiny pieces of glass. My cuttings are saved for this very purpose. Some of it is so small, it looks like its sand.

(C) Kelly Jadon 2024

The Quetzal

You see me,

my feathers, my tail, flitting far from my head

my influence flying over seas

far from me

You see me,

my rich royal colors alluring all to come and see

what I offer

but like a mirage

I am not what you see

but am as brown as the earth

my blood, the same as others

tinged

and like the others

have followed after falseness

an illusion

a mirage

of what is not really there

[The Resplendent Quetzal appears as a very colorful bird, but its plumage is actually brown.]

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2024

You can now find pieces of my artwork, those related to beautiful South Florida's beach and waves at Sand & Sea, a handmade boutique where Jensen Beach deadends at the Indian River in downtown Jensen. Come by and see the store! Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Kelly Jadon

Dolphin Dance Mosaic--Sold

Treasure Coast dolphins visit daily, cruising through shorelines and inlets. Fused and layered glass with resin, 9x11. (C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

Pineapple Mosaic--SOLD!

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

Cremation Urn for Pet Dog

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

Green Tea Flyer Mosaic

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

Pet Dog Urn

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

Pesach (Passover) Door 2023

This is a modern piece to remind us of the Pesach (Passover) Door. Red represents the blood of the lamb brushed around the lintel. The blood kept the enemy and death out. It was protection. Divine protection.

The door was also the exit for the Hebrew nation, a combination of those of the 12 tribes of Israel and some Egyptians (people of the world) who exited with them. The door was an exit from oppression and slavery. The Door was the Way to a better life following God.

The aqua-blue surrounding the door represents heaven and God.

The glass pieces within represent the changes that God makes as we follow Him.

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023 (Not for Sale)

"Summer Hummer" SOLD!

Tropical Flyer--Layered Glass Mosaic

Jeweled Seahorse

Where Flowers Bloom--Layered Glass Art

New Day--Layered Glass Mosaic

(C) 2023 Kelly Jadon

Nativity 2022

Nativity Small, 2022, Kelly Jadon—glass, resin