Sustained Investigation #4

• Inspired by research into the Mycorrhiza system which is the relationship between trees and mushrooms and how mushrooms sent nutrients through their roots to tree roots

• Wanted to add a 3D aspect so bent the roots and glued them down

When I first started thinking about this new piece I knew I wanted to do something bigger. My previous pieces have been reasonably sized and I knew I was ready to expand in the hopes of showing more of a tree. I was researching interesting facts about plants and their community and came across the Mycorrhiza system which is how mushrooms pass trees nutrients they need through their own roots. I decided to represent this connection through a mixed-media piece. First I worked on the tree roots with pastels, this was a massive undertaking since they were very large, even larger than the canvas and I knew I would need to bend them to show dimension. Pastels are one of my favorite mediums and I blended oil and chalk together to get more depth and range in the roots which I think turned out very well. Next, I went on to paint the background and mushrooms with acrylic. After the daunting pastel roots, the background didn’t seem as important but I knew it would still have significance so I spent lots of time perfecting the landscape to add dimension (as seen in the dirt). I used reference photos of basidiomycetes (specifically the red w/ white dots) and tried to add lots of detail so the viewer's eyes would still gravitate towards the mushrooms. After attaching the roots I had to create a 3D look by bending the roots and gluing them down onto the canvas so it seemed like they were coming to life. I wanted to add more prominence to the relationship between the roots and the importance of the mushrooms so I added a soft light around the mushrooms and some yellow details where the roots connected to show the transfer of minerals. This piece turned out even bigger than I expected and required many hours but I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out because it shows nature's interconnection, unlike my last piece which showed human involvement. 

I received insight and helpful feedback that made the painting look even more lifelike. My teacher pointed out that the forest floor—which I’d originally had as just grass—would seem unrealistic in the painting. I took her advice and was able to add darker colors and stones so that the setting feels more natural and the mushrooms blend in more with their surroundings. This was my first time mixing media on such a large scale and my first attempt at adding a 3D element to the painting although I intend to use the technique of gluing down paper for dimension more.

This piece was a great way to jump out of my comfort zone size-wise and media-wise. I learned a lot from this project about adding intrigue to a piece and how to focus a viewer's eyes on what you want them to see. Moving on I think I'll continue mostly with the middle-sized pieces I'd started with but I wouldn’t be opposed to creating another large piece down the road. I enjoyed having a piece that centered around nature's community and I’m looking forward to continuing that idea in more pieces. I don’t have a set plan for my next piece but it will definitely involve trees!