'Duke: A Great Hawaiian' by Sandra K. Hall, ultimately inspired me to create a portrait of Duke Kahanamoku; but, I must admit, it was the restaurant 'Dukes' on Waikiki, that introduced me to the five time Olympic medalist, 13 term sheriff of Honolulu, and the person most responsible for popularizing the sport of surfing. Taking up the sport myself, later in life, also contributed to my interest in creating a portrait of this Hawaiian icon. The Hawaiian seashells used in the original assemblage were divided into groups of light and dark and everything in between. They were then meticulously laid out in rows corresponding to the original photograph. The assemblage was then photographed and digitally enhanced to bring out the light, dark, and sepia tones of the individual shells.