Creativity Tip:
 Autumn Leaves and Gratitude
Artellagram 9-4-13

creativity tip

As fall approaches, I'm especially looking forward to one of my favorite activities: gathering fall leaves. In Texas, where I live, we don't get a lot of Autumn color; like some things in life, the change in our warm climate happens very quickly, and can easily be missed. But, on the right day, we can still get a glimpse of nature's warm Technicolor, and gather some lovely gems from the ground.

Leaves are wonderful natural art supplies. We can:
  • Make leaf prints or rubbings
  • Tie them on ribbons and sticks to create a mobile
  • Preserve them in laminate sheets and use as bookmarks, ornaments, gift tags, or ephemera in your paper art
  • Make them into wreaths or garlands
  • Treat them with any variety of artistic media: glitter, gold leafing, paint, pastels, you name it! Fresh leaves are a great palette, and after the art is complete, you can spray with a fixative to keep your artwork intact.
Leaving Gratitude Behind

What looked like a walk

to beyond

or nearer

was a dive into redgold

out of silked soiled darkness

feeling muscles long cold

in my head and bones

and in my longing

to see more

than what a thing is

and leave gratitude behind


I am always on the lookout for ways to turn simple art projects into a gratitude practice; expanding appreciation for the little things in life is the most powerful tool I know to live life to its fullest.

Try this: gather leaves and look closely at each one. What does the leaf remind you of…its color, shape, size. How might the leaf represent something from your life for which you are truly grateful? Try turning the leaf upside down…squinting you eyes…put it on top of different backgrounds, and see what comes to mind.

creativity tip


To create the above artwork, I simply scanned a collection of leaves, and then added text with an image editing program. It's a wonderful snapshot of gratitude from an Autumn day walk.
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