Alan W. Rabon was born in Charleston, S.C. where he created his first artwork. He sold his first painting at the age of thirteen. Since then, he has painted and created all different forms of artwork into adulthood. He is a nationally recognized Master Decorative Artist, as well as, a muralist. He currently lives in Plainville, Georgia where he is busy carving and sculpting eggshells into new and exciting works of art. Begining in Fall 2007 Alan will be displaying and selling his artwork at select Art Fairs around the Southeast. Please check the art show listings page for scheduled locations, dates and times.

Demonstration Of Eggshell Carving:

Commonly Asked Questions:

"Are these real eggshells?" 

   Yes, these are REAL EGGSHELLS that have been emptied, cleaned and sanitized. Some eggshells are thick like ostrich, emu and goose which are great for carving in relief. Other eggshells are very thin, such as, duck, chicken and quail. All are hand carved by artist Alan W. Rabon.

"How did you get started carving eggshells?" 

   One day I was sitting at my jewelers bench where I was trying to carve into some seashells I had found. The tool I was using kept breaking the seashells so I gave up trying until I could find a better tool. After searching the internet I discovered a tool that was being used to carve into wood, glass, stone, metal and ...eggshells!?!? I was instantly fascinated by the egg carving process. After searching the internet for a source to buy eggshells, I ordered my carving tool. Once everything arrived I immediately began experimenting with carving different types of eggshells.  

   Initially I was breaking one out of three eggshells. Now, I break about one out of thirty eggshells.  

"How do you display this type of artwork?"

   It is customary to display your eggshell art on a stand and under a glass dome with a wood base or, you can display them as you would any fine china, in a cabinet.

 "How do you ship them without breaking?"

   We have shipped eggs as far away as Australia without breakage. We have shipped eggshells for six  years and only had a few break from mishandling by the recipient. As a result, I personally guarantee that all my eggshell art will arrive intact or I will replace it at no charge. We carefully suspend the eggshell in a bed of tissue paper that not only cradles the artwork securely but also allows for it to be jostled in shipping without harm. 

"Does eggshell art retain its value?"  

   Yes, it does! As a matter of fact, we like to say "The longer you keep it without breaking it the more valuable it is!" Egg art collectors are quick to purchase any eggshell artwork they find due to them being so rare. 

"Can you make more than one of a particular design?

   Although you can reproduce any image on eggshells over and over, because they are carved by hand there are very subtle differences that make each egg carving and sculpture completely unique. This is another reason why they increase in value over time.  

"Are there many artists who do eggshell carving?" 

   NO!!! There are only a handful of artist in the country who carve eggshells and even less who sell them to the public. This is one of the reasons eggshell art is hard to find and even harder to purchase. It is also the reason collectors are so avid about obtaining these rare little treasures.