Why?

I’m a forest bather! My love is to wander through forests looking for signs of fungal activity. From the very damp forests of Washington to the dry lands of New Mexico and Palm Springs, to the varied terrain of the Colorado Rockies and Europe, I wander off trail, take photographs, meditate with, and (when lucky) forage mushrooms to eat later.

In my studio, I edit thousands of images, research the fungi, identify the species, study the Latin names, and collaborate with mycologists and other mycophiles who love sharing knowledge to build a growing database of remarkable mushrooms.

Then the real art begins  

I push my images by blowing up, cropping, retouching, filtering, testing, and outputting on a variety of materials including glass, acrylic, and metal. My most recent work involves large encaustics (wax) abstract paintings on board.

Much of what I process in the editing phase wasn’t visible to my eye when shooting but manifests as a universe of its own when carefully observed on my computer. My heart is truly moved by the photos themselves which serves as the basis for the art that arises.

My goal in producing this body of work is to extend my travels to explore the extraordinary species in other parts of the world. My aspiration is to share the magnificent beauty of mushrooms – the ultimate healer of the planet and the people – with others as a gateway to finding their own relationship with nature.

Phase 2 involves collecting specimans, researching/identifying, writing, drawing, painting, and fusing wax on solid birch boards, creating glass like surfaces. Mushroom encaustics are PURE ALCHEMY.