ArtFire

Whale tail pendant is my hand painted rendition of a humpback whale preparing to slap the water with its tail, an action known as lobtailing. It's not known why whales do this slapping motion which produces a very loud sound, but it's thought that it may be a form of communication to other whales.

This beautiful pendant has been painted on a piece of bamboo tile in acrylic paint. The ocean is painted in shades of denim blue, blue stoneware, night sky blue and pewter gray. The waves froth with white foam and the spray created as the whale slaps its tail.

The other side of the pendant features a silhouette of a sperm whale embarking on a deep dive. Sperm whales dive up to depths of 10,500 feet / 3,200 meters, but average dives are about 4,000 feet/ 1,200 meters. They make these deep dives to hunt giant squid which are bottom dwellers. Sperm whales can hold their breath up to 90 minutes while taking their deep dives in search of food.

The necklace can be worn showing the whale tail or turned over to display the silhouette making it two necklaces in one.

Hand painted wood beads have been painted in the same shades of blue and are a perfect match to the pendant. The technique I used to paint the beads has resulted in a subtle multi hued pattern which further represents the whale's ocean habitat.

Several coats of sealant have been applied to the pendant and the beads to provide a high gloss finish. I have signed and dated the pendant as well.

This is a double strand necklace of black leather cord; the double strand of beads are one of the many striking design features of this necklace. The leather cord ends have been finished with coiled silver colored wire of my own original design. Not only is this a beautiful look to the cord ends, it also holds the cord extremely securely. A silver plated toggle clasp that matches the coiled ends completes this breathtaking necklace.

Whales are among the earth's largest creatures, with some species growing up to 60 feet / 20 m in length and weighing 40 -50 tons. They live in social groups known as pods that have bonds which are strong and long lasting, with the members of the pod protecting the young, sick and injured. .

Highly intelligent, these majestic animals were hunted nearly to extinction before whaling was banned by many countries. Whale watching has become a highly popular activity and has proven to be much more profitable than whaling, thank goodness!

While many of us will never see a whale close-up and in person, this fabulous necklace is the next best thing. What better way to honor these wonderful beings than by wearing one next to your heart?

The necklace measures 21 inches / 53 cm in length and the pendant is a tiny 1.5 inches / 3.8 cm in width and .5 inches / 1.2 cm in height.

I've always been in awe of these fascinating creatures. A large scale pastel I did many years ago that hangs in my home inspired me to create one in minature form.

Acrylic paint, bamboo tile, hand painted wood beads, leather cord