I'm going to be returning to some 
of my earlier work in blog posts to provide some context for these works, starting with the oldest work I have posted on my site and moving forward.

The Leaf Series focuses on magnified leaves, all measuring 24 x 24 inches. The works in this series emphasize the abstract forms of the leaves. The works vary in how much of the leaf's outer edges are visible. For example, in Maple Leaf and Sweet Gum Leaf 1, the leaf shape is cropped out of the painting so that the viewer can concentrate on the pattern of veins and the color field of the leaf's surface.

In Sweet Gum Leaf 2 and 3, the outer shape of the leaf is more defined, in order to depict a little of the serrated edges that are a hallmark of sweet gum leaves.

Creating this series involved many leaf-hunts and much close observation of leaves. The leaf-hunts led me to look at the leaves more closely than I ever had before. (I also had a small helper, who volunteered himself to assist in my search, so not only was I moved to spend more time looking closely at leaves, but someone else was too.)

None of the paintings depicts a specific leaf, but each painting based on observation a number of similar leaves. Each leaf is an exuberant bursts of color, but can also bring about a state of deep contemplation, as one gets lost in fields of color.