Blackfoot River

   

 

Back in July, J and I took a long-awaited trip to Montana, a place I have been wanting to show him for a long time.  I've looked forward to returning ever since I spent a summer there in college - at the time my university's Forestry program included a 7 week field school at an out of state location, and Montana was the destination for my class.  This post just includes one stop off on the trip, along the Blackfoot River just east of Missoula.  We spent an afternoon sitting by the river, exploring along the bank and observing the various things that grow there.  Unfortunately, the weather was not warm enough to make us brave the frigid water for a swim-- next time.

I'll make additional posts from this trip, hopefully in the near future.  I haven't been blogging much lately, because my time has been monopolized by creating artwork.  This is a good problem to have, but I'm hoping to start writing more again soon and balancing this space of inspiration, reflection and updates with my art making practice.  Until then...

blackfoot river 1

I was really excited to discover what I believe to be showy milkweed along the river bank!  I had just begun my project, Missing Pieces, at the time and milkweed was pretty much on the brain all summer long.  What a beautiful plant!

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Wolf lichen is incredibly fascinating to me.  Driving along mountain roads up north, you'll come around a bend to see a dead tree just covered in fluorescent yellow fruticose lichen, one of those things that I'm amazed is real.  Wolf lichen has inspired some of my work this past year, both that I have shared as well as another project that I haven't posted about.  That one will likely stay under wraps for quite a while, but check out my wolf lichen wall hanging.

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Another type of lichen to inspire my work recently has been pixie cup.  I've knitted some pieces inspired by these for my shop, including terrariums, holiday ornaments, and a wall hanging.

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Tube lichen is especially fascinating - the texture and colors, the fruiting structures.  I recently created a piece inspired by this type of lichen for Cultivating Craft, an exhibition at 108 Contemporary in Tulsa that opens in December.  I'll share more on that soon.

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52 Forms of Fungi || #48

Found in burned areas where morels are abundant, pink burn cup  (Tarzetta rosea) may cover the ground. While I'm sure I would be pretty jazzed about finding a ton of morels, these would probably grab my attention even more!  I would love to do a large installation with these - the color is so vibrant and they are very simple to make.
This species was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project.  See more forms for the project here.

52 Forms of Fungi || #47

A couple of years ago, I was minding my own business in my office when a coworker walked in and tossed a baggie across my desk.  A little startled, I remember looking at it and thinking, "What on Earth?!" as I examined the strange crab claw-like structure before me.  For the most part, I'm the go-to "what-the-heck-is-going-on-with-my-tree?" lady, though I rarely get many questions about fungi, despite my obvious interest.  After a little digging, I discovered that the strange fungus that had sprouted up in my coworker's yard is yet another fascinating species of stinkhorn.  In looking into this unusual specimen I was inspired by stinky squid, which you see here, though I'm not sure exactly which stinkhorn my coworker had found, specifically.  The world of fungi never ceases to fascinate...
This species was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project.  See more forms for the project here.

52 Forms of Fungi || #46

Apricot jelly fungus has been on the list for quite a while and has finally made its debut!  It's really starting to hit home that this project is coming to a close - Of the several phases that Berroco provided yarn for, this was the last to create.  Imagining the curled, gelatinous structures of this fungus with each increase row, I continued to savor the softness of Ultra Alpaca Fine.  It's unlikely that this fiber will ever leave my list of favorite yarns.  I like how the natural curl of the yarn in a way mimics the shape of this species.  The Grove Mix colorway seemed to match up nicely as well.
This species was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project.  See more forms for the project here.

Lichen of the Wichita Wildlife Refuge

Lichen is my favorite thing to observe anywhere I go.  The Wichita Wildlife Refuge has a stunning array of lichen, and I'm always really drawn to the brightly colored crustose species covering the granite rock faces there.  So beautiful.  We went out and hiked for a day recently, and I spotted some beautiful foliose and fruticose lichens as well.  These are just some images of what I observed.  Happy Friday!

52 Forms of Fungi || #44

Little nest polypore.  I remember observing some of these on a fallen branch in a natural area a year or so ago, alongside some bitchin' lichen.  They were much smaller than these polypores that I knitted, but the rings of color were pretty distinct.
These polypores were knitted for my project, 52 Forms of Fungi.  You can see more phases from this project here.

52 Forms of Fungi || #43

As I'm beginning to write this, it's occurring to me that I have not knitted very many conks for this project.  I made ganoderma in the beginning, but that was quite a while ago.  I suppose it's only fitting that I squeeze one into the final 10!
This is red belted conk.  I had hoped to post this a week ago, but we've had crap weather as of late (as you can tell from the white remnants of roadway torture substan--- I mean, snow, that's in the background there.  I have attached the little guy to a sad little apple tree in my back yard that had a heck of a fight with fireblight last year, has a pretty gnarly cavity at the base, and served as a nice host for some split gill fungi that I observed all last summer.  We will probably have to remove the tree in the near future, so I wanted to make sure her legacy carried on.... in the form as a host for knitted fungi in a photograph.  With that being said, I don't think this conk actually grows on apple wood, though if I'm wrong about that please correct me.  I have seen it on Juniperus in the past, or at least what I believe to be this species.  Very beautiful.
These mushrooms were knitted for my project, 52 Forms of Fungi.  You can see more phases from this project here.

52 Forms of Fungi || #42

Flat-topped club coral.  I love the shapes of these little guys.  Apparently they are edible, and actually have a somewhat sweet flavor.  Dessert mushrooms?  That's a new one to me.  Have any of you tried these before?
These mushrooms were knitted for my project, 52 Forms of Fungi.  You can see more phases from this project here.

North Cascades Fungi || Part 1

Back in October, J and I visited a couple of dear friends in Seattle for a few days.  While on our trip, we drove into the North Cascades and hiked the Lake 22 trail in the Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest.  This day was really one of the highlights of my year, and I'm still feeding off of the inspiration and beauty that we beheld in the Pacific Northwest.  I know I say this a lot, but I really can't believe things like this exist.  It's mind blowing, really!  The hike up the mountain took about 3 times longer than the trek down, because of constant stops to observe and gawk (and photograph) about once every 20 feet or so.  I know it's excessive, but when the opportunity arises you just need to take these things in, you know?  Here is a sampling of the fungi I observed that day.  This will be a two part post, since it's pretty photo heavy - and there's part two to look forward to next week!  Can't wait to go back...

52 Forms of Fungi || #39

Orange peel fungus!  Named because... well, orange peels... As I mentioned yesterday, I had some issues this week with getting photos for the project due to weather and being so close to the solstice.  It was getting a little dark out by the time I got to shoot this phase, and the clearest photos were a little darker than I usually go for.  The resulting mood was true to the nature of the day, however, and I like how much the pieces stand out in the gloomy setting.  So, rather than correct the brightness I decided to leave the photos as they were.
This was knitted for my 52 Forms of Fungi project.  See more phases from this project here.

 

52 Forms of Fungi || #37

I've knitted a lot of mushrooms (including boletes) over the past couple of years, and this is by far the largest one.  King bolete is an impressive specimen, and I would love to make another that's even closer to the large end of the scale.  How exciting it must be for the mushroom forager to come across one of these out in nature!
This species was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project.  See more forms for the project here.
For the holiday shoppers - I have prints and knitted fungi available in my shop!

52 Forms of Fungi || #34

In Washington, we hiked in the Snoqualmie-Mt. Baker National Forest in the North Cascades, which was pretty much heaven for me in terms of the ecosystem and diversity of fungi.  One of the most striking species we came across had a cap of deep purple that had somewhat of a shimmer to it (perhaps from moisture on the tiny hairs?).  The rich, dark color was easy to overlook in the shadows of the trees, but was truly beautiful to behold.  As I was going through my new guidebook that I mentioned in the last post, I knew as soon as I flipped to the page that this is what I had seen.  Violet cort.  I also thought it funny that this species has been on my list for a while, as I was drawn to it in earlier research.  I really had no idea how much it would impact me to see it in person, but feel fortunate to have had the opportunity.  The bottom photo shows one of the mushrooms that I observed.  The setting is vastly different, but in November in Oklahoma, you work with what you can!
This structure was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project. Check out more of the forms from this project.

Witch's Hair

 When we started planning our recent trip to Washington state, I knew that I wanted to take advantage of the landscape for at least one small installation.  Time was not abundant, so in the end it turned out to be pretty minimal.  After getting my lichen feet wet through collaborating with Sarah Hearn this spring, I've spent much of the summer planning out some new work that branches into lichen territory.  I love knitting fungi, but also find lichen to be extremely fascinating the more I learn about it.  And the more I observe it I find that I just can't help stopping to get up close and take in every one that I spot.  It's hard to pull away at times!
This piece was inspired by Witch's hair (a rather magnified version of witch's hair).  I wish I could have made it larger, but I do intend to continue exploring this species for a larger body of work that I've begun, so if you like it then stick around!
Just after I took my last photo, I heard a creak and glanced over to see a large snag tip and crash to the ground across the trail about 50 feet away.  No one was nearby, thankfully, but it was magnificent to see.  It's strange how an incident like witnessing a giant fall to the ground like that can make you feel so small, when it also brings you to realize that the giant itself is minuscule in comparison to the magnitude of the world.  Nature is so vast.  We are but one tiny component in this, yet we as humans feel that we control it all.  It's a nice reminder that the world keeps spinning, trees keep growing and falling and the Earth will continue to nurture everything on it until the end of time.  I feel refreshed and inspired with each moment that I spend in the wild.

Washington

 J and I just returned from a trip out west to celebrate our third anniversary - we spent about a week in the Seattle area staying with some friends, and spent a lot of time outdoors.  My friend Sharalee took these photos that I thought I would share since I have not had the chance to upload my own yet.  The middle one is a pretty typical scene on hikes with me!  I will share more soon about what caught my eye on our adventures.  There's nothing more soothing than immersing oneself into wild places.

 

 

 

Harvested || Dye From Red Bud Blossoms

Back in April, I did some solar dyeing demonstrations for Earthfest at Martin Park Nature Center, in conjunction with my outdoor exhibition, Niche.  Oklahoma's state tree is eastern red bud, and they are abundant here.  Funny enough, our climate tends to be a little hard on these little trees in the summer - they often have sunscald, splits in the trunk and decay, especially when growing in full sun.  The 'Oklahoma' variety has a thicker cuticle on its leaves and tends to be a little more tolerant of heat and drought.  In any case, red bud puts on quite a show in the spring with the small purple blooms lining its branches.  We have a few fairly mature specimens in the back yard, and I decided to try a little experiment this spring.  I collected a bagful of blossoms to use in one of my demonstration jars, unsure of what the outcome would be.  Flowers can be deceptive when it comes to dyeing - I learned that when I got a lovely sage green from prairie coneflower last summer.  While I would have been delighted with a purple hue, I went into this experiment without expectations, and I was wowed by the result.  After two and a half months in the dye jar, I finished with incredibly vibrant, golden yarn.  It's beautiful!  Next year I will definitely make more, and try it out with different mordants to see the variation.
This yarn was dyed using red bud blossoms with an alum mordant and a splash of vinegar.  I boiled half of my blooms to extract color before putting water in the jar with the yarn, and added a handful of fresh flowers to the jar as well.

Lichen Collaboration for START Norman

Back in April, I made mention of a collaboration that I worked on with Sarah Hearn for the threshold: the promised land exhibition, part of START Norman.  Sarah is a visual artist who also showed work in Rare Earth at Plug Projects in Kansas City last year.  A kindred nature-inspired artist, much of her work involves lichen -- a group of organisms that has strongly grasped my attention as of late.  I've been in awe of Sarah's beautiful macrophotography of these intriguing life forms, intricate paper cutting, and thought provoking installation since I first saw it.  Clearly, I was all about working on a piece together for our site specific installations in Norman.
I'm excited to share the photos of our collaboration with you now, which Sarah so kindly captured for us.  This work is a colony of two lichen interpretations: Parmotrema perforatum (perforated ruffle lichen) and Peltigera canina (dog-lichen).  My contribution included the moss growing among the dog-lichen, and apothecia and ruffles throughout the perforated ruffle lichen.
In addition to the collaboration, Sarah placed several mini-installations of lichen throughout the site, and designed a scavenger hunt for visitors to use in finding them all!  They blended in quite well to their surroundings.  She added my two Succession installations to the hunt as well.  I loved this engaging concept, and hope it was a fun way for visitors to learn about and connect with nature.
After this project, I've found that I can't stop observing lichen whenever I see it.  I'm captivated by it!  This is a subject matter that you will likely see more of in the future.

Black Swallowtail Larvae

I'm growing dill this year mainly to use in pickling, so I don't mind so much that the little patch of fragrant herbs are being consumed by these beautiful black swallowtail caterpillars.  At least, I won't mind until I go to make pickles, in which case… bummer.  So many of these little guys are hanging out that I'm thinking another round of seed sowing is in order so they won't run out of food-- I would love to see some black swallowtail chrysalises in the garden!  Now to figure out where that seed packet went...