This is a necklace I created for myself. I had a large quantity of black pearls to use and wanted to keep the color palette very monocromatic. So, I choose various clear, pearl, gray and black seed beads as well as round hematite beads to construct this necklace. Another thing I kept in mind is since the overall shape of the necklace was going to be very bold, I choose to simplify the shape of the beads by sticking to round beads. I created the necklace one stand at a time, beginning with the shortest and longest strands, then filling in the stands in between.

The story behind this necklace is a sad one. My late grandmother, Madelyn Brewer, lived alone and died unexpetantly in the spring of 2009. The night after the ambulance took her away, her house was burglarized and all her jewelry and silver was stolen. Fortunetly for me, my grandmother had given me a necklace and bracelet of black pearls when she was alive. My grandmother had expensive and flashy taste, owning multiple mink coats and fine jewelry. This necklace was created after she passed away and is my homage to her.