How the Forest Told Me to Leaf It Out.

“Leaf Me Alone” — And Why Laughter Belongs in Life

 Big brushes, bigger laughs, and a heart full of mischief.

Started in the forest, finished in the studio — this piece was inspired by a walk through the trees with no plan, just a blank canvas, paint and two brushes, and a lot of curiosity.

Most days, I paint in my studio. But away on a retreat I find myself standing in a forest on a glorious sunny day with absolutely no plan. 

We let the forest speak — or more accurately, rustle and creak at me while I put paint on the canvas and with two brushes splash the paint around. The textures, the quiet, the energy — it was all different. Unpredictable. A bit wobbly. A bit magic.

Back in the studio, I brought the piece to life with collage and colour, adding the detail that the wild setting had inspired. It wasn’t like my usual work. It was messier. Looser. Full of play.

And when it was done, the only name that felt right was:

Leaf Me Alone.

I laughed when I said it out loud — and that laugh felt important.

I’d been talking to a friend recently about how little laughter there seemed to be in my life these days. The kind that bubbles up from nowhere and makes you feel lighter, even for a moment.

And then this painting happened. Messy, playful, unexpected… and when “Leaf Me Alone” popped into my head, I actually laughed out loud.

Not because the art had been lacking joy — I always try to pour a bit of that into everything I make — but because life had quietly gotten more serious.

And suddenly, this piece reminded me how good it feels to just laugh.

I have another piece of art on the go in the studio a little cheeky Puffin I’ve name Wiggles, a fun name for a Puffin standing on one leg. 

Laughter matters in life.

It doesn’t cancel out the heavy stuff, but it lightens the load.

It connects us. Softens the edges. And sometimes, it sneaks in just when we need it most — like in the name of a painting you didn’t expect to make.

It’s the defiant joy.

The spark.

The proof that creating can be light, silly, soulful — and still absolutely powerful.

This painting taught me that.

So no, the name might not sound profound at first…

…but it holds the moment I remembered why I love doing this.

A mix of paint, paper, and forest magic, it’s one of those pieces that took on a life of its own. It’s different. It’s a little wild. And it made me fall in love with nature all over again.

Have you ever made something that made you laugh?

I’d love to hear about it — or better yet, see it.

“Laughter belongs in Life

It cracks open the serious, softens the struggle,

and reminds us that joy is just as powerful as perfection.”

— Chris the Cheeky Artist (a.k.a. Leafy Picasso 😉)

🍃

“It wasn’t the art that lost the joy — it was life that got a bit serious.

And then I painted this. And I laughed. And I remembered.”

Leaf Me Alone was made in the forest, finished in the studio, and named with a smile.

Turns out, laughter still matters.

Especially the unexpected kind.