Leaf it to these students to have fun with foliage! As native Floridians, it can be tempting to walk past foliage and see it as a mundane part of our everyday lives, but our year-long green backdrop is truly one element that makes our day brighter in ways we don't even realize.  For this project, students were challenged to highlight this "ordinary" subject matter with a composition that is extraordinary. They chose a beautiful local plant and created a composition that not only brings out the beauty in leaves (no flowers allowed), but also creates rhythm by using repetition. Students had to demonstrate a mastery of oil pastel techniques by showing a wide variety of colors and a variety of marks in order to describe their leaves. These students worked hard, layering their pieces, mixing colors, and scraping and scratching to get the precise mark they desired. As you scroll through these photographs, you will be taken away to a tropical paradise. Enjoy!