Love of Mushrooms

Nature is Art 

So, my love for mushrooms is fairly new (a couple of years).  I first started taking a few pictures of mushrooms around our property (we are lucky to live in the middle of the woods along a river).

This first picture was taken in 2009.  I took a few more here and there, but wasn't too serious about it. 

    I then took a silver jewelry class at Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC, and came across some really amazing mushrooms (which I had no idea what I was looking at the time). 

While I was there, I decided to make a charm with a mushroom on it.  This is a Japanese technique of foil inlay.  The piece is only about 1/2" x 1/2" (pretty tiny).  It is silver leaf, gold, leaf, copper leaf on steel. The Amanita is common in Japanese art.

Then, my good friends had me watch Fantastic Fungi and I was hooked and I wanted to learn more! 

I would definitely recommend you watching it.

I really wanted to take a class at a local college, but didn't find anything that fit my schedule or what I wanted to learn about mushrooms.  I searched and found Mycologos

on-line, they offered several levels of classes.  I ended up taking: The Many Ways of Fungi: First Steps Into the World of Mycology  It was a great class, because he didn't get too deep into the scientific side (enough).  But, he also talked about growing, cooking, making paper and dye, and some of the medicinal properties of mushrooms.

Because of his instruction on the medicinal properties, I have started taking a daily supplement Thrive6, which contains Lions Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and Maitake.  I am not a doctor or anything such, but I really think that this has helped with my digestion and energy. Plus, I really like how it tastes in my coffee.

Since taking that class, I have now taken over a thousand photographs!  I put my "snake" boots on and head out into the woods for about an hour - two hours at a time hunting for mushrooms.  Since I am still learning, I am mostly only taking photographs and learning how to ID them.  I really want to produce a book about the ones I find.  Most are probably pretty common, but you never know when you are going to come across one that has never been identified. They say that 95% of plants and animals have been identified, but 95% of mushrooms have not!

It is funny how things spread and now a lot of my friends send me pictures or links to mushrooms and I love it!!!  Please keep sending them!

A very dear friend lost her husband seven years ago, he was a Naturalist and she is a Botanist.  She came by to see me with the most lovely of mushroom books from her husband's collection.  She gifted them to me. Some have the most amazing plates of drawings.  One book is all plates! I will share more about those in a later post!

It inspired me to take some of my mushroom photographs and turn them into a repeating pattern (using Anne LaFollette's class). I was going for the retro vibe. You can find this pattern on the products at Society6. 

I think I have also been a good influence on my daughter, Nancy Martin.  Please check out all her work on AffinityforSerenity.com .  She has a great vlog on her YouTube channel: Mushroom Girl Speed Draw.

I hope that you have enjoyed my journey through the world of mushrooms! I am sure there will be more mushroom art to come.

So many reasons to celebrate!

There are so many reasons to celebrate today.

1. My Mom is doing much better (still has a long way to go but at least she is laughing.) Thank you for all the nice thoughts and prayers. On the last day I was there I took a few minutes and wandered around her yard. I took this picture of the mushroom. Nature never stops amazing me.

2. We finally celebrated Father's Day. I know we are a little late (ok a lot late). The kids were waiting until the four of us could be at the river together. They gave John a badminton set. Nancy made a professional court, putting lime down for the lines. But in the end the kids dominated us. John and I are going to practice and get them next time! (Did I mention that we have the best kids in the whole world? And I can truely say that!)

3. My baby sweetpea turns 18 years old tomorrow. Last night the four of us went out to dinner (and yes, the waiters sang to her). It is so hard to believe how fast time goes by and how quickly children turn into adults when we are not watching. I am very proud of her - and she is cute too! (I have to mention that it will also be my birthday tomorrow - she was the hardest present I ever had to work for!)

4. As far as studio news - my Mom let me babysit her kiln! It will be great for bisque pieces. Over the weekend we moved stuff around in the studio to make room for it and for the one that I purchased. Now I need to start working!!!!

5. One other thing. My Artfire guild is still having the Where's Waldo contest. Check it out - http://shopswithlesssalesartfire.blogspot.com/2009/07/wheres-waldo.html Rosetree Creations is sponsoring the prize!!! http://rosetreecreations.artfire.com/