Agerd’s use of semi-precious stones is literalized here and brought into a full scene. A clam shell opens to reveal a pearl — but rather than representing the pearl, a real pearl is affixed to the canvas. The scene around the pearl shifts the scale away from the straightforward, into a dynamic relationship between representation and abstraction, a favorite theme of the artist.
 
The vaginal shape of the clam shell alludes to the life-giving energy here symbolized by the clam producing the pearl. The cool pallette calms the viewer to look into this moment as a metaphor for the healing cycles of reproduction.
 
Pearls are a favorite feature for Agerd, who has used it in other, more abstract work. The pearl is one of the gifts of nature not easily faked, as imitation pearl cannot match the iridescence of the clam’s offering. For this reason, real pearls have been used in jewelry, clothing, cos- metics, medicines, and even paint for- mulations. This painting honors those current and traditional uses of the pearl while connecting it to the entire bounty of the world.