After doing some tests and artist studies with leaves I jumped into this piece with both feet. There is a layer of enamel leaves, some drawn pen outlines and some amber silver stain leaves. I am exceedingly happy with this piece and with each of the steps of each of the many processes needed to achieve this whole object. The most important goal in developing this body of work has been to minimize or eliminate negative thoughts and emotions from the time spent creating the work. Several of the previous prototypes were dismissed or steps abandoned due to their negative affect on my peace of mind. This piece was a pure joy to make from the initial blowing and hot glass manipulation to the final moments of signing the bottom. I love blowing glass and this work gives me good cause to slow down and spend more time investing myself in the object in a personal way. To harvest the organic material, the oak leaves, it is necessary that I climb a tree. It should go without saying that that is a great thing. If it wasn't for my gardening painter friend, Gina Bonner, I think I would still be floundering with the subject matter for the painting portion of this work so I am grateful to her for her input and direction. The organic nature of paint applications is freeing and allows me and the viewer to ignore the notion of mistaken smudges or accidental touches. This work is fun and profoundly simple yet I find that I see new and increasingly complex interactions each time I explore this golden orb. The lenses provide minification and distortion which I feel add necessary depth to the imagery.

-Matthew David Stewart