Leila Kuhns has been working with many media types for over five years. She has focused on ceramics for most of her time as an artist but has moved into photography more recently. When creating art, she enjoys focusing on topics that allow the audience to feel the emotion of the piece. This past year, she made art based around various human emotions. Making these pieces and seeing how they moved people inspired her to further her art in emotion evoking pieces. She plans to keep creating art that moves people beyond what words can say. 

Artist’s Note: From the way the yellowing leaves parted perfectly around the grave to the harsh contrast of the grey stone to the colorful fall foliage, this image shows the balance between life and death. The beauty of the statue atop the grave represents a life that once was, now surrounded by beautiful mother nature, perfectly framed by her. So often death is something thought of so negatively; people fear it, despise it, and even hate it for its harsh nature. I believe the transition from life to death is something that should be seen as beautiful. Through death our bodies are given back to the earth, giving nutrients back to her, allowing the beauty of nature to bloom all around us. This image encapsulates this idea.