Wood Fungi Are Art

I’ve been fascinated with shelf fungus since I was a child. My grandmother would sometimes pull especially large pieces off trees near her New Jersey home. The undersides of the fungus were creamy white. We would take a sharp stick and etch images into the creamy surface. The pieces would be placed on the fireplace mantal to dry and harden. After about a week, the final art would get a coat of varnish to preserve it.

When I moved to Gainesville I was delighted to spend time in the many wooded parks.  These days, when walking in the Gainesville area nature, I strive to leave no trace by carrying only a cell phone and sketch material to capture the fauna I encounter. Shelf fungi still fascinate me, however, now I make paintings of theminstead of removing them from their woody homes. The colors and shapes form artistic patterns that I find irresistible to paint.