BEACH PLUM ORIGINAL DESIGNS - Key Persons

Joni Malcynsky has been a wash-ashore on Cape Cod since 1986. In rare, quiet moments she found while raising her five children, she began collecting oyster and scallop shells from the local Wellfleet beaches of her summer home. With her interior design expertise and creative spirit, she began adorning mirrors, wreaths, and other decorative pieces for the homes of friends and family. Over the years, she experimented with new mediums and methods, perfecting the art of curating her signature seashell creations. She founded Beach Plum Original Designs in 2018, inspired to share the humble treasures of Wellfleet with others. For the artist, the process of gathering shells is as much of an art as the production of each piece. While combing the shores of Wellfleet Bay, she hand-picks each oyster and scallop shell, selecting the ones that have been kissed by the sun and smoothed by the waves to reveal natural shades of plum, periwinkle, pink and pearl. The sea-tossed character of every shell is what makes each design - be it a wreath, mirror, candlestick, wooden mermaid, shadowbox, or other custom piece - truly unique. She spends her winters creating her pieces in her Art Studio in the small riverside town of Chester, Connecticut.