Before long, winter’s snowflakes will begin to adorn Geauga County’s landscape as Karen Leonard continues to create a lasting piece of summer inside The West Woods Nature Center in Russell Township.
“We’re excited to have Karen Leonard, a Burton resident, coming back to Geauga Park District to complete a large mural as part of the refurbishing of our Mastin Classrooms at The West Woods Nature Center,” said Sandy Ward, Geauga Park District’s marketing manager.
“Karen painted the large mural near the wildlife feeding station at Big Creek Park’s Meyer Center back when it opened in 1991, and it’s still a focal point of this building,” Ward added.
The newest mural is slated to be finished in February 2017.
The mural will depict a stream and woodland habitat typical of natural areas in Geauga County. It will include woodland vegetation such as beech, sugar maple, oak, hickory and other native trees; wildflowers such as trillium, violet, May apple, wild ginger, hepatica, Solomon’s seal, and Jack-in-the-pulpit; as well as ferns scouring rush and fungi.
Nearly 50 different kinds of wild animals will be depicted in their favored spot or microhabitat, which helps define their role in the forest or stream ecosystem on the 12-foot-by 24-foot wall painting.
Mid-morning sun shined upon the cornucopia of nature’s crimson and gold colors from the nearby window on Nov. 5, as Leonard stood back from her progressing mural and smiled, leaning on the nearby scaffolding.
“I am starting with the bare bones and just washes of color,” said Leonard, a realism painter, regarding the backdrop.
“Dan Best taught me an awful lot,” Leonard said, referring to the longtime park district naturalist, who went over all the fine points of Geauga County’s natural world, beginning with her first murals.
“He was so educational,” she said.
A graduate of Burton High School’s class of 1960, Leonard has called Geauga County home for most of her life, sharing her talents as both artist and 35-year-teacher with her private studio, The Artful Dragon.
“This is my joy,” Leonard said, at the end of her first week on the commissioned project. “For (Geauga Park District Chief Naturalist) John Kolar, I am painting a sycamore.”
Leonard has nine acrylics on permanent display at the Burton Public Library, three murals at Geauga Park District’s Big Creek Park in Chardon and a mural inside the Burton Chamber of Commerce, as well as an immeasurable amount of other works inside homes throughout the county.
“She has made me the artist I am today,” said Newbury Township resident Anne Vakser, of her mentor. “She has always been positive and encouraging. Whatever she does is with some passion and it spreads to students. Karen cares about you. She has helped my confidence.”
Leonard soon shared some artistic nostalgia, flipping through pages of an old memory book of newspaper clippings, photos and other highlights showcasing the evolution of her many years in the art world.
“It puts you so close to your world and your appreciation for all seasons,” Leonard said of nature, as she walked over to the window, a temporary home to a pair of binoculars for close study of birds and other natural wonderment.
”Nature helps you breathe better,” she said. “I love all of the seasons.”
The artist said she plans to start playing some classical and country music while painting during her three-to-four-hour-a-day work schedule.
“While she’s painting, she welcomes nature center visitors to come and watch,” Ward said. “It’s such a neat thing.”
Leonard’s eyes brightened as she discussed some of the details involved in getting nature’s tiniest of details just right.
“I want people to appreciate it, “Leonard said. “There’s such a joy to this area. I hope it never grows up too much.”
She said she hopes the mural will also help spark an interest in children in the beauty of nature right outside the door in the park.
“It’s so great,” said Kolar. “It will liven up the classroom. We always loved her murals at the Meyer’s Center.”
Leonard looked back down at her scrapbook, then paused to share the wisdom of author and astronomer Carl Sagan, who spoke of our choices in how to spend our allotted days on earth, and the need to be selective with our time.
“Isn’t it wonderful where we live?” Leonard said with a smile.
