COPPER LEAF – A Mixed Media Ode to Autumn’s Elegance

COPPER LEAF – A Mixed Media Ode to Autumn’s Elegance

Some works of art shimmer, while others glow. Copper Leaf does both —l ayering the warmth of fall, the richness of the harvest season, and the quiet beauty of transformation into a singular mixed media statement. Inspired by the deep hues of autumn’s fading light, this piece blends earthy olives, burgundy, and burnished coppers, enhanced with metallic highlights that shift with every glance.

At the heart of Copper Leaf rests a repurposed vintage pocket watch, transformed into a timeless relic of nature and nostalgia. Within its frame, a hand sculpted medallion—formed from paper clay and bathed in a luminous metallic olivine hue—sits beneath a glassy resin finish, preserving its aged beauty like a forgotten heirloom rediscovered. Skeleton leaves, dusted in radiant copper, unfurl beneath the watch, delicate yet enduring, while an antique glass photography slide lies beneath, a subtle portal to the past.

Beneath this composition, crackled textures layered with resin create a tactile contrast against corrugated metallic highlights, forging a landscape that feels both industrial and organic. This small yet intricate canvas is anchored upon a richly layered collage, composed of ephemeral fragments, vintage papers, and an additional copper leaf, all enveloped in an encaustic wax finish that lends a timeworn, antiqued patina to the entire work.

The wood panel frame, with its deep black base and metallic accents, adds depth and shadow, drawing the viewer into the composition. Every detail, from the gilded textures to the interplay of materials, speaks to the passage of time—the way nature and memory intertwine, the way light dances on the surface of something aged yet eternal.

A Reflection on Change and Preservation

Copper Leaf is a meditation on cycles — of seasons, of time, of renewal. It captures the fleeting brilliance of autumn, preserving it in a work that speaks to both decay and rebirth, fragility and strength. What is lost in time is never truly gone but instead it lingers, imprinted in texture, color, and memory.

SIZE: 9" x 12" x 2" (23cm x 30.5cm x 5cm)

Special Care for Encaustic Artwork... Encaustic artwork is created with a combination of beeswax (note for those who are allergic) and damar resin. This art form has existed for centuries, but because of the natural properties of the wax it does require to be displayed out of direct sunlight in a temperature controlled environment.