Natural Expression: Leaf Carving

 

One of the more fascinating works I've stumbled upon recently is the freshly invented act of leaf carving. This is a process in which artists scrape the skin off from a freshly dried leaf while maintaining to keep the leafs natural structure intact. Although it looks like an art form that must have originated from back before drawing and painting materials even existed, these naturist displays are in reality a new type of art that is just breaking into mainstream society.

The leaves used in this process hail from the creatively named Chinar tree. This native Chinese foliage produces leaves very similar to that of the common maple tree. Some positive aspects to using leaves as an art surface as opposed to more frequently used canvasses is that the natural substance is easy to obtain and bears no negative consequences to the environment such as cutting down trees to make paper. Additionally, the leaf maintains a very durable structure with a very stable and permanent color. Lastly, one of the main reasons artists use these beautiful, natural canvasses is because the veins of the leaf at depth and detail to the main artwork imprinted on the leaf.

Producing a leaf carving is no small feat. The steps necessary to preserve and prepare the canvas for being etched upon are numerous and time consuming. Some leaf carvings can take up months of an artists time after factoring in the gathering, planning, carving, and preservation of the leaf. However, after all is said and done, this artwork is capable of lasting multiple decades if successfully treated and framed.

While this art form is currently popular in the gifting business, it is possible, if not evident, that leaf carving will make a staple in the artistic world. With any hope, these leaves will transcend seasons past autumn into the future where they will be marveled at as a work of art.