The Cobbler, Arrochar
Every Autumn is mushroom season, and during my last trip to Argyll Forest Park, I could not help but notice the different types of fungi blooming through a collage of fallen leaves. It gave me a similar sense of excitement to an Easter egg hunt, as it is difficult to predict where the mushrooms might emerge or be hiding.
My relationship with mushrooms began during early childhood in China. I would go into the mountains with my family in the early hours of the morning to pick wild mushrooms. Once we had returned home, my grandmother would separate the mushrooms and teach me how to differentiate between the various types. Despite her efforts, I was never able to tell them apart in the dark! However, I vividly remember there was a mushroom (lurid bolete) that would bruise upon a gentle touch. I was fascinated by it, running my finger across every other mushroom I saw to test if the colour changed in a similar way. These experiences acted as the catalyst in using mushroom as the medium in my work and incorporating kinetic movement within.
