this past autumn my dog and I took many windy, rainy walks. she patiently waited for me as I searched through piles of leaves, looking for ones which I felt symbolized the magical properties of oak trees. in this daily ritual I came to see how many different shapes, angles and colors oak leaves came in and fully understood how one species came to represent so many properties to different cultures over time. they became a small memorial to something much larger.

as humans we love the shade of trees in summer, watching birds perch and nest in them, we love hearing leaves rustle in the wind. we may like how the bark feels beneath our hands, how their flowers smell in the spring, or be annoyed at the samaras and acorns they drop in our driveways. some of us see them as more, as homes to many species of animals, insects, birds, moss, lichen. we may see them as individuals who have witnessed the many breathing beings who came before us. we may see their will to thrive, despite how we impact the earth they call home.

in making these leaves for a gallery I met some Folx who love trees as much as I do. one person gave me the idea of making leaf portraits for people who have a leaf from a favorite tree growing up, are losing a tree to illness, or who miss seeing leaves in winter months. connecting with others, hearing their stories about trees which have played a role in their lives, and creating a portrait of a leaf fallen from this tree, would be a true honor for me.

this listing serves as a deposit for a leaf portrait. we will discuss the materials to be used, the size and hopefully, we will get the leaf into my studio so I can see what I am recreating in metal. (if you are interested in working in silver, there will be an additional desposit.) we will come up with a timeframe (likely 4-6 weeks) and I will give you a final price which is to be paid before starting the work.

to give an idea of my process, these leaves have been hand-cut from a sheet of bronze or copper. holes are drilled and sawn, they are textured with hand tools and finished as smoothly as a piece of jewelry would be. they are formed with some handmade tools, along with new or vintage tools I have collected. each line, hole and curve are recreated by hand.

if you are interested in a leaf portrait, please contact me with any further questions you may have.