Botanical Art & Science: Leaf Skeletons

Botanical Art & Science: Leaf Skeletons

By stripping away the soft parts of the leaf, leaf skeletons allow us to see the vascular system that supports the life of a plant. Celebrate autumn by turning whole leaves into leaf skeletons and preparing them to create botanical art. Learn from a CalBG botany masters program student about the science behind leaf skeletons (called cleared leaves by scientists) and work to create your own leaf skeleton sampler from a variety of California native plants.

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Decompositions: Photography by Nancy Macko, on view at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery at Scripps College from October 5, 2024 through January 7, 2025.