Wasted Leaves, Resurrected"

"Wasted Leaves, Resurrected"

Acrylics/mixed medium

Birch Panel
24" X 24"

The other day, while taking out the garbage, I tripped over something in the snow.

I used my foot and uncovered the object.

I was saddened to see a part of a book.

Looks like someone, for whatever reason, tore the pages out of binding
and
ripped it into sections..

I had tripped over one of the sections.

The pages were in reasonable shape, it was too cold for any moisture to 

damage the leaves.

I picked it up kinda slapped it against my leg to knock the snow off what was left.

Such a waste.

The beautiful words inside were lost ,
The binding was lost, a tree was lost.

Nothing good would come of it ever again.

I took it inside with me, lay it on my work desk and let it dry for a couple of days.

All the time wondering how I could do something to

make it better.

A hopeless task to be sure.

I love books.
 They were my constant companions when I was young,
And all throughout my youth. 

They were my refuge.

I owe Books so much.
 As, who I became, how I acted, and what I knew,
 came from reading books.

When the pages were dry, somewhat stiff and marked,
I saw them as an artwork desecrated, and incomplete.

The idea for this work of art formed slowly in my mind 

and

Kind of came together on its own.

I was saving some of the pages, and reforming them.
I gave them life with colour.

This work of art emerged slowly.

I documented my progress and present it to you here.

I hope you like it.
I have saved the rest of the unused pages.
For another time, another use.
All is not lost, and in my mind,
I paid homage to a once beautiful book.
and helped it become something incredible again.

~~Kathleen

 The cut outs from the pages in the first application of colour.

Final paint and the leaves drying.

Detail of the words on the Leaves

Rough arrangement of the leaves

Glueing each leaf down

Drying after the top glaze is done

~~