Leaves often serve as a backdrop to our surroundings. Seen only in the background we sometimes miss their mesmerizing individual characteristics and inherent beauty. Whether leaves are fuzzy, waxy, smooth or saw-toothed, emerald green, sunshine yellow or brilliant red,  tiny or enormous, ornamental or functional, they serve as food producers, photosynthesizers, beautifiers and air cleaners.

When viewing leaves, one can see the magic of the natural world up close.  There are pathways that allow water to transverse. There is something akin to dance and movement in the design of their leaves.  If one loves the beauty of a sunset, one can find the colors and tones in leaves as they prepare to drop.  If one loves symmetry or variations of symmetry, one can also find this in the beauty of a group of leaves. If one is interested in how patterns repeat in nature, look at a leaf and see the same pattern repeated in human veins.

 

 Presented in this exhibit, Leaves Alone, is a modest sampling of the thousands of species of plants and trees that inhabit our planet. Monocots or dicots, deciduous or evergreen, leaves are distinctive beings which add beauty, food and productivity to our planet.