I started doing these leaves because I was carving feathers and couldn't come up with a way to display the feathers that might show them in a natural setting. Pat and I were walking the trails at Rock Bridge State Park near Columbia, Missouri when she picked up a leaf and said "Why not copy this leaf into wood and put the feather on the leaf?" We picked up several leaves, in full color, I took some pictures then traced the leaf into a note book that Pat always carried; when we got home I traced the outline onto a piece of basswood, cut it out on my band saw, then carved and sanded into the final form. I painted with acrylic paint to match the picture and..... I had the leaf preserved in wood. Since the first leaf was flat, trimmed to a thin layer and painted I felt the leaf was too fragile to be enjoyed so the next leaf was carved into a thicker piece with the edges turned up or turned down or putting more of the imperfections found in the original leaf into the copy, including holes. It may not be the same as pressing the leaf between the pages of a book, but these wooden leaves in wood can be touched, rubbed or displayed on coffee tables or desks. The feathers work just fine mixed with several finished leaves.
Most recently I had a friend send me oak leaves from her farm that she wanted to have copies made-I made two leaves from Oak and the other two from Cherry. I had a man from a paint department in a local lumber yard that helped me come up with an "antique type of stain/finish". I applied six coats with light sanding and buffing after each coat with the final coat only being buffed showing a deep and rich finish. She displays the leaves in a wooden bowl. I have an oak leaf from the family farm that I keep in the china cabinet.
As you have heard me write about the importance of preserving our history through a variety of media-whether is be verbal, written or in pictures, what better way to save a piece of our first home, the family farm, our favorite fishing/hunting spot, that special place where an important life event occurred or just a pretty leaf-that can become a piece of art. Each of my leaves contains the description of the spot where I found the leaf and I can immediately recall what was going on when I or Pat found this leaf.
If you have a leaf out there that you would like to remember for a long time or one that you might like to give as a gift (wedding, anniversaries) drop me a line or send me the leaves and we will go from there. I started finishing two leaves tonight, still have several more coats to go but one leaf comes from the Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, docks, picked up this summer, an early morning bagel and coffee with Pat sitting on the a bench; the other comes from the Mt. Monadnock State Park area on a short hike. Both are special.
So the hour is late, and time to close, had some more recent pictures to add but for some reason can't get them to down load to the computer so- "remember to measure twice and cut once".
Much peace in the new year.
Nelson "Papa Richter"
