Thursday, October 16, 2014

Art Bead Scene Editors Take the Challenge Blog Hop


The colors of Milton Avery's painting, Autumn, are the kind of stunning mix that make me want to get out the clay and create beads. When Heather Powers suggested we have an Art Bead Scene Editors Take the Challenge Blog hop this month I readily signed on.

   That swath of magenta arching  across the painting is what inspired me the most and was my greatest challenge as well.  Not an easy color to mix with the ceramic glazes I have.  So my first beads were cold glazed.


                         
                                        Cold Glazed Stoneware Bead by Mary Harding


Cold Glazed Ceramic beads by Mary Harding

Which means that I fired the green stoneware clay beads to Cone 5, about 2200F and then added color with artist's crayons and sealed the them with a Matte Fixative.  In other words, the color is not a fired ceramic glaze.
Actually, I never got the magenta color right with my glazes but that didn't stop me since there are so many other wonderful colors and color combos in this painting like the oranges, reds and yellows.

                                                 Daisy Pendant by Mary Harding


                                 Three domed disk Maple Leaf Beads by Mary Harding



                                     Night Daisy Cabochon by Mary Harding


                                                              Bird by Mary Harding

And black

                                        Black raku beads by Mary Harding

My second most favorite part of Milton Avery's painting is his use of shapes.  I love those trees made of descending rectangles and tried to re-create them in a series of beads:

                                   Rectangle beads with center holes by Mary Harding

And finally, a group shot

                   Beads inspired by the painting Autumn by Milton Avery (some available in my Etsy Shop)

Be sure to stop by the other ABS Editors' posts.  Links are below.
 Erin Prais-Hintz
Tari Sasser
Heather Powers
Claire Lockwood
ArtBeadScene








8 comments:

  1. Crikey - You have been busy! There's some beauties here. I particularly like the discs and the rectangle tree set. Fab stuff!

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  2. Mary, all your beads and components are Fabulous! The bright Underglazes are fit so well with the painting. My favorite bead is the bead that you cold glazed. I love the texture and such wonderful colors.
    Great challenge pieces!!

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  3. Oh! How beautiful! The colors look just like an autumn forest bursting with a party! I especially love the deconstructed tree, and that first bead you showed. I have never heard of a cold glazing. Very cool! Glad you could play in the hop! Enjoy the day! Erin

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  4. Oh how I love your beads, the colors are just fabulous! I might have to check out your shop, again!

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  5. A color feast - I love it! The pieces that are colored with artists crayons are very interesting and appealing. Each piece made me want to paw, those colors just sign - pick me!

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  6. Great job on all of them! :)

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  7. Gorgeous pieces! Wow..bold bright beautuful! Mary, I ran right over to your shop...is the yellow pendant with the leaf available??? I would love to get it!

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  8. What a great response to the painting. I love them!

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