I found this leaf on the ground while walking through Bird Hills, an area of forest in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  I was captivated by the leaf’s gracefully curling form and by the intricate delicacy of its structure.  Wanting to see it more closely, I picked it up and examined it.  I liked it so much that I carried it (very carefully, so that it didn’t get damaged in any way) for the rest of my walk.

When I got back to the house and parked, I set it on the hood of my car as I got other things out of the car to bring into the house.  I noticed that it looked kind of cool, sitting there on the hood.  I saw a photograph.  The shape and texture of the leaf, with a background of mottled paint, looked to me like an image of the galaxy.  It was really cool.

Later I decided to create a rendition of this photograph in which I painted the background full black in order to allow the beauty of the leaf to stand on its own.