This is an intricate painting of an oak leaf. It is made out of handmade watercolors, crystals, 24k gold leaf, and a beetle. It is 2.5’’x3.5’’, framed and ready to sit on a shelf, or hang on the wall.

When I painted this piece, I thought about the process of photosynthesis and the lifespan of a leaf. Abscission is the natural detachment of parts of a plant, like dead leaves or ripe fruit. I thought about the meaning in this step of the process and how leaves must fall for the process to continue. Also, how leaves from the trees to the ground, and nurture the soil that that grows the tree.