I really love this month’s ABS challenge image, Milton Avery’s Autumn.

If you read this blog regularly you’ll know I’ve been busy making stacks of autumnal pieces, but none of them have included the unusual touches of purple-pink and deep blue found in Avery’s painting. So this felt like a whole new brief and I’m really glad I found the time to make something. When Heather suggested this ABS team members’, challenge I hadn’t been certain that I’d have the opportunity to make anything. But, anyway, I did and here it is.

Just adding the blue and the purple-pink really creates a departure from the more typical autumn shades. I included one of my beads: the little blue owl. I’d kept hold of him because the glaze on him isn’t as even as it could be and he has that slight blotch around the eye. I rather like him, imperfections and all, and I think he looks quite at home here. In Brandi’s palette post, she picks out a pale grey blue as well as a deeper blue and that wee owl introduces the former. Brandi also picked out an even deeper, almost black blue. I’ve added this tone with the inclusion of a patinated hoop from Grubbi. To get that vivid purple-pink, I reached for a strand of pink crazy lace agate that I’ve had for an age.

You can see both the pink and the blue in the final art bead I used in this piece, a glittering raku round from Elements Pottery. It’s been a bit of a colour eye-opener for me, this challenge, and I’m always really grateful when I get one of those! I have some doubts about the orange flower at the front and have been wondering if it’s a bit too sudden. But, I figured Avery’s painting has plenty of sudden colour so it’s staying put! This bracelet is available here in my Etsy shop.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the team have come up with - I’m expecting quite a range of different takes on the challenge image. To see what everyone else has made just follow these links.