52 Forms of Fungi || #49

Now that my web site is live, I'm back on course to finish up this project once and for all.  Another minor holdup this summer involved finding the right yarn for this species - black jelly oyster.  After going through my immense stash of every color you can think of (seriously, I think I own over half of the available shades of Knit Picks Palette), I finally found a hue that was satisfactory.  The most interesting part about black jelly fungus is the underside, so just imagine that the branch these little guys are growing on has just been overturned to expose the surface that has been buried in the duff.... very CLEAN duff, obviously.  The bottom of these forms show some intricate detailing for the gills that is unfortunately not too visible in my photos due to the darkness of the color (there had to be a drawback), but trust me, it's there!  I used the same stitch technique as I did with the gills of Lactarius indigo, if that helps.  

Behind the Scenes of Niche

In case you haven't seen via social media, Niche is installed and ready for YOU to observe, starting today!  If you're in the Oklahoma City area, I encourage you to visit Martin Park Nature Center and go for a hike on their beautiful trails.  It's really stunning out there right now, as everything seems to be waking up from dormancy.

This past weekend, I placed three installations throughout the three main trail loops-- A, B, and C.  In addition, there's a small enclosed installation inside of the Nature Center building.  The installations are easy to spot if you're looking for them, but at the same time they are easy to miss if you're not!  Beyond my work, there is so much worth paying attention to in this park, from lichen covering the metal beams of the bridge, to tiny coralberries that made it through the winter, not to mention the breathtakingly vast, spreading bur oak trees.  I encourage you to make your visit with open eyes, and just take in all that nature has to offer.

Jennifer McClintock, with the City of Oklahoma City Parks Department, was kind enough to send me some photos that she took while I was installing the other day, so I thought I would share a few as a bit of a "sneak peek".  I do plan to share my own photos of the finished full scale installations, but not before I give you a little nitty gritty on the species that inspired each form created.  One great thing about this project is that I've been able to knock out several new fungi for the 52 Forms of Fungi project.  I figured I would introduce the different installations to you by going through the series, and then show images of the finished installations later.  So you know, if you want to see the whole thing… bounce on over to Martin Park Nature Center and get in a little peaceful outdoors time.  They will be installed as part of EarthFest for the entire month of April!

Introduction to "Niche"

I'm excited to announce one of the exhibits I'm creating work for this coming April.  Martin Nature Park in Oklahoma City is a favorite spot for J and I to get out in the "wild" while not having to commit an entire day to getting out of the city.  It's a very peaceful oasis in town with plenty to observe and free from the distractions of the built environment.  It's quiet.

For the past several weeks, I have been working on some pieces for installations that will be placed throughout the park for the duration of April - this is part of Martin Nature Park's Earthfest events.  One installation will go along each of the three trails, in addition to a small one within the nature center building.

I may have mentioned this before, but thus far all of the outdoor installations I've created have been temporary.  I create them, I place them, I photograph them... and then I take them down.  No one but me gets to see them in person; only by photograph.  Martin Park has given me the opportunity to install and leave my work there for the public to see, and to find.  It's thrilling to know that visitors to the park will stumble upon each installation.  As they hike the trails and look for each work with an awareness of the presence of the artwork throughout the park, I hope this will bring the attention of visitors to the phenology and stages of growth of the various plants and other organisms residing there. It will encourage engagement and contemplation of the ecosystems within the park as visitors notice the installations, and can help them to cultivate a stronger connection to nature.

The images shown are just a few shots of my works in progress, and I look forward to sharing more in the near future.  Visit Martin Nature Park at 5000 W Memorial Rd, Oklahoma City, OK during the month of April to see "Niche".

52 Forms of Fungi || #9

 There is a species called blue stain fungus that I've been familiar with for a while because it is found in pine trees here.  It happens to be a favorite food source of the pinewood nematode, which causes a disease we know here as "pine wilt".  Blue stain is unrelated, but pine trees that die rapidly and are found to have it are often assumed to have died of pine wilt.  In any case, I recently got to thinking about this fungus and realized that while I have seen the blue stained sapwood in pine trees, I've never seen fruiting bodies associated with it.  After some research I came to find out that the fruiting bodies are so small they are difficult to see (much less knit), but I did come across another type of stain fungi with some really remarkable fruiting structures... GREEN stain fungus.  Unlike blue stain fungus, green stain is found on hardwoods.  I'm pretty amazed by it!  I'm planning to do a larger project with these, but here is a sneak peek for now.  So vibrant.  I love them!

These structures were knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project, through which I will knit a different type of fungi for every week of 2013.  Check out more of the forms from this project.

Decomposition: Riot

I had the opportunity this past weekend to install my jack o lantern fungi in southeastern Oklahoma as part of the Decomposition series.  These are the largest forms I've used for an installation to date, and have a very different effect than the dozens of tiny mushroom caps seen in Colony I and Colony II.  Rather than sheer numbers, the "WOW" factor comes from the loud, warm hue, clustered around this unique stump with a cylinder of heartwood still standing majestically in the center.  A loud, warm, aggressive hue, a tightly packed cluster.... like a riot.

I enjoy this series more and more as I go along, and get more and more excited projecting future installations.  I'm also thinking I need to plan out some ideas on how to create an installation and leave it in place without offending my environmentally responsible conscience.  The materials I use are just too invasive to feel good about leaving out in "the wild".  I'll start brainstorming more on that, and actually I already have an idea brewing although it's for something outside the Decomposition series.  Hopefully I'll have time to start on that this summer...