Fungus Among Us

Margot Day and Elissa Newmeyer were fully inspired by the radiant and plentiful Pleuetos Ostreatus, or more commonly known as pearl oyster mushrooms. They are found wild world wide and are also a cultivated commodity. The stacked sporophores come in an abundance of sizes from 5-25cm and are shaped like a fan or oyster. These little fungi are the life of the environmental movement party, and are currently in the testing stages of large fossil fuel clean ups. Fungi hold the potential to reduce toxic chemicals in the environment placed there by man, or by nature. With the guidance of Stephen Feilbach the team foraged for a perfect walnut bark canvas. After curing the walnut 'canvas' Margot and Elissa began to press, add stringers, and pull the flames carefully sculpting and welded the petals. Stephen then applied epoxy to the walnut for strength, adding powdered borosilicate frit. Like the small caps of a mushroom cluster grow, it gains the lessons of life; They brought together three artistic views, cultivating this piece without compromising the integrity of the organic bark while fusing the natural movement of the glass and mushrooms.