Eighteen years after Candice Fava received a jewellery box made out of eggshell, the 30-year-old has set up her own solo exhibition of eggshell art pieces.

As a young girl, Ms Fava lived on a farm with her parents in Sydney, Australia, where they used to sell fresh eggs, among other products. A customer used to buy a tray of duck eggs every month. One day, Ms Fava, then 12, asked her why she needed all the eggs and the woman gave her a small jewellery box she made out of an eggshell.

“I was fascinated and immediately started experimenting with chicken eggs. Initially, I used to paint them with nail varnish until I got the appropriate tools,” she said. Ms Fava’s family moved to Malta when she was 14.

She did not pursue her hobby until she met Ivan, her husband, who urged her to develop the craft.

However, no one seemed to know about this type of skill and the couple had to import the decoration material and paint. She now has her own shop in Żabbar, which stocks these supplies. She teaches the craft and takes orders for ornamental gifts, cake toppers, clocks and jewellery boxes, among others.

Most of her items are made of goose, ostrich and duck eggs and, she points out, they last a lifetime.

Among awards she won for her work, Ms Fava got the Ġieħ l-Artiġġjanat Malti.

Over the past 18 years, she has completed thousands of ornaments and about 50 pieces are on display at her first solo exhibition at the Institute of Tourism Studies in St George’s Bay until today.

For more information on the exhibition please go to: www.facebook.com/pages/New-EGGsperience-Egg-Art-Gifts-Craft-Supplies/115604011493?fref=ts.