A Half-Year Adventure Making a Leaf Mandala
Last fall, on a cool Chicago day, I found myself standing under the city's tall trees. The leaves were performing their colorful dance, shifting from green to red, orange, and yellow before fluttering to the ground. Right there, my half-year adventure began - an adventure to create a special artwork, a Leaf Mandala, a mix of nature's beauty and my own imagination.
An Unconventional Palette
Most artists find their raw materials in art supply stores. For this project, my materials were sourced from the sprawling parks and tree-lined avenues of the city. The process was simple but meticulous: I handpicked leaves from four distinct trees - the ancient Ginkgo, the vibrant Burning Bush, the fiery Red Sumac, and the iconic Maple. Each leaf, chosen for its unique shape, size, and color, represented a brushstroke in the grand design that was yet to emerge.
Saving Fall's Magic
Once collected, the leaves needed to be dried and preserved, a process that required great care and patience. After pressing each leaf, I watched as the vibrant pigments of autumn were slowly, but perfectly preserved, their beauty ready to be captured on my canvas.
Building the Mandala: A Work of Heart
With many leaves and a big 48 x 48-inch canvas, I started the hard but fun work of arranging the leaves in a circle or mandala. This circle shape is a symbol of unity and togetherness in many cultures.
For painting, I chose my favorite technique - dotting. This is where you make patterns using only tiny spots of paint by special instruments made for this type of art. I used bright and flexible acrylics. Each spot, like each leaf, was carefully placed to be part of a larger design. The final look was a rich picture of leaf veins that added depth and personality to the mandala.
The Finishing Touches
Uncountable hours and six months later, the Tree Leaf Fire Mandala was complete. The satin finish not only protected the art but also added a final touch of elegance, the soft sheen giving life to the textures and colors in a subtle, gentle way.
The project was not without its trials. The sheer dedication to preserving and arranging each leaf, the meticulous dotting, and the careful application of the finish required patience and determination. But as I now look at the final piece, I see more than just a mandala, more than a collection of leaves. I see a time capsule of Chicago's fall, a symbol of the city's natural diversity, and a testament to the beauty that results from the harmonious blending of nature's art and human creativity.
Final Thought
This six-month journey has been a revelation, a testament to what can be achieved when we see beyond the conventional and embrace the beauty in the world around us.
If you're fortunate, you may find the original Tree Leaf Fire Mandala artwork here
If not, you can always acquire its high-quality reproduction on printed canvas here
