about the book
Have you never heard of sea glass? You are not alone, although even before the publication of this book there was a large and avid group of sea glass collectors. As its collectors know, sea glass is found on the beach, glass once thrown out or swept away, then transformed, its edges softened and surfaces etched by the action and nature of the sea.
Photographing for the Book
When Richard LaMotte invited Celia Pearson to photograph for the book Pure SEA GLASS, she was intrigued by the notion of exploring his family’s extensive collection with her camera. Turned loose with a box full of their best “finds,” she became captivated by the luminous qualities of the glass.
Pearson’s approach to photographing the LaMottes’ collection was true to her nature as a photographer. Always drawn to the beauty of natural light, she used sunlight, window light, or other ambient room light – what is known to photographers as “available light.” Sometimes she directed and controlled it by blocking or reflecting, but primarily she concentrated on her emotional and sensual response to the light that was offered.
Describing what compels her, as she now explores other collections as well, Pearson says, “As I focus on my subjects, I am paying attention to their physical beauty, the light that informs them, the relationships between various elements. But there is something more that attracts me – something that’s energetic, unseen and as compelling as the beauty in front of me. These vestiges of mankind transformed by nature seem to be full of echoes, memory, and spirit.”
In the acknowledgements, LaMotte wrote, “It is with sincere gratitude that we recognize the contributions by photographer Celia Pearson toward the development of this book. Our first glance at her artistic talent inspired us to venture immediately forward, taking a whispered concept to a forthright endeavor – compiling a comprehensive book on sea glass.”
Some Facts
Pure SEA GLASS is a 9”x9” hard cover coffee-table book with more than 150 Pearson photographs. It was written and self-published in June 2004 by Richard LaMotte, who founded the company Sea Glass Publishing the same year. More than 85,000 copies have been sold in the six years since the book’s release.
The book is the only historical and comprehensive reference work published on sea glass. LaMotte’s well researched text, woven in with the photographs, takes readers on a journey through the history of glass, the relative rarity of its colors, and the art of finding sea glass and identifying its origins.
The book has been, and continues to be featured in many publications, including Cape Cod Life, Coastal Living, Chesapeake Life, Coastal Style, The Washington Post, Martha Stewart LIVING, and La Vie Claire. Soon after its release, it was featured on Maryland Public Television and the segment continues to be aired from time to time.