Melissa Harvey of Arlington, Va., scores a year's worth of bragging rights as the winner of The Post's Third Annual Peeps Diorama Contest with her "NightPeeps" entry.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
2008 entries, Harvey brainstormed for a year before deciding on her interpretation of Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" painting." width="603" height="471" border="0" />
After seeing the 2008 entries, Harvey brainstormed for a year before deciding on her interpretation of Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" painting.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Using bunny Peeps to recreate an Edward Hopper painting seemed like an obvious fit.
Robert Hashimoto-The Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection
Dusting off her old art supplies, Harvey put her painting skills to use.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Certain details of the painting were hard to distinguish, she says, so she reinterpreted them to make sense for the bunny Peeps she was using.
Robert Hashimoto-The Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection
And what would bunnies be eating in a diner? A plate of carrots, of course.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
She used several different colored Peeps to help create her winning design.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Harvey replaced the painting's original building sign with one more aptly titled: Peeps.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
The original sign reads "Phillies Cigars."
Robert Hashimoto-The Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection
She wanted to pay homage to Hopper in her replica.
Robert Hashimoto-The Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection
In Harvey's interpretation, the picture of the cigar turned into a paint brush with Hopper's name beneath it.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
All of the Peeps are sitting on stools to appear upright -- including the diner's clerk who is "standing" behind the counter.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
From clay carrots to tiny fedoras, she got creative.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
The fedoras took more time than she anticipated. In order to get it just right, Harvey had to redo them a couple times. Initially, they looked like cowboy hats.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
She used a variety of materials common to artists, such as clay for most of the dinnerware.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
For the cup, however, her husband suggested an ordinary item you'd find in a medicine cabinet at home -- a nasal spray cap.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Harvey incorporated some modern aspects to help achieve the look and feel of the early-1940s painting.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Harvey lit her diorama, much like the diner in Edward Hopper's painting. To achieve the right look she used two flourescent flashlights.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Harvey's year-long search for the perfect diorama -- a mix of Peeps, fine art and 3-D modeling -- stood out from the competition.
James M. Thresher-For The Washington Post
Gallery Credits:
Photographer James M. Thresher
Audio Reporter Alexandra Garcia
Photo Editor, Producer, Audio Editor Troy Witcher
Text Editor Andrea N. Browne
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