ABS June 2012: Nighthawks' Missing Necklace

The Art Bead Scene Challenge for June 2012 features the work:

"Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper.

Hopper completed the painting in 1942. As noted on the ABS page,

"Nighthawks portrays people sitting in a downtown diner late at night. It is Hopper's most famous work and is one of the most recognizable paintings in American art."

* * * * * * * * * *

In designing my piece, 

I started from the notion that the woman in the painting was missing something.

She should be wearing a choker-style necklace 

with oversized beads

of a carnelian red color, ...

...but I also wanted to pick up the colors 

found throughout the painting, 

the dark greens and ivory-white in particular.

So I started with the red and worked my way from there!

Next to the red beads on each side are 2 creamy-white ones.

The first on each side is a large white with red specs, 

ceramic beads handmade by

Natalie Pappas

of NKP Designs.

Closer to the middle are fossil beads of a very similar color and look, but smaller.

Separating each bead are copper accent beads, 

and in the middle, 

a copper bail.

Next, is the pendant part of the necklace,...

comprised of another of Natalie's beads on top

and a brass sunflower focal on the bottom.  

I left the center of the sunflower the light green color 

that matched Natalie's bead,

but the outside edges were turning brown, 

so I sanded the outside part, 

applied a darker green Gilder's paste,

then sanded when dry 

to let the brass shine through again and sealed.  

I did the same with the back of the piece.

The remaining part of the necklace is textile.   

Two types of cotton fabric, 

one with a raku pattern, one plain, 

and another piece of sage green silk ribbon,  

all 3 wound and knotted together.   

The end pieces are contained with brass clamps.

The pieces uses snap clasps in 3 locations.   

This enables the necklace to be worn as a choker, 

as originally intended 

with the fabric wrapping twice around the back of neck 

and snapped in place)...

or worn extended with its own snap for a longer look.

The final creation.

The missing necklace

from Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks."

Presumptuous?  Yes, but I hope you enjoyed my interaction with the painting as I created this necklace!   

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry