Many of what I consider to be my most interesting pieces often only impressed people who know me well—friends and family. This piece thus ended up being a gift, to a friend so impressed with its design that she didn't even mind its being brown, one of her least favorite colors. The benefit to me, of course, is that sometimes these pieces come back my way, years after I'd forgotten them. Quick like a bunny I photographed this necklace before she whisked it away again.

The focal is a copper disk, lightly etched with various punches. Since I took the metalworking class with Fike around ’91 (during which we made punches) that's probably about the time it was made.

Certainly it's an earlier piece, being strung entirely on thread—in fact, one of the bead tips had nearly opened, so while I was photographing it, I closed it again (probably a hopeless case, since any bead tip soft enough to close with my fingers isn't destined to stay that way.)

A closeup, showing the golden obsidian beads hot riveted to the disk.

Materials: Copper, silver, pewter, blackstone, golden obsidian, African striped glass, seed beads, white nylon and possibly black silk thread. Private collection.

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.