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Wild mushrooms are my paint, Finnish forest my art studio, and the underwater world my inspiration.
As a former diving instructor, I used to escape Finland’s chilly winters to the vibrant coral reefs. This autumn I started spending more time in the nearby forest, and suddenly the strange forms and colors of the moss, rotting tree trunks, critters and mushrooms brought me back to the reefs. I started learning their names, and the forest began to feel like home. I get excited about all those wonderfully colorful, toxic mushrooms I previously ignored.
The more time I spent in the forest, the more beauty I saw around me. Before long, mushrooms became my paint, and the forest my art studio.
A very unforgiving studio, as a matter of fact. I often spend five or six hours looking for mushrooms for just one creation.
If I realize one day later that I would like to rearrange something in my creation, it’s already too late. The gills of the mushrooms have withered and lost those vibrant colors. Mister and Madame Snails have munched holes into the caps, and trees have covered my creations with falling leaves.
I can’t plan any of my mushroom art in advance, either, because I never know what kind of mushrooms I end up finding. I have to take what nature decides to give me that day and work with that.
So it was a surprise for me when I looked back and realized that so many of my dreamy creations were inspired by the underwater world. I guess it’s just natural – we dream about what we love. What do you dream about?
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#1
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
Cool! What does it remind you of? I call it the Love Ganesh, but someone said it looks like a wedding bouquet... đâ¤ď¸đ
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#2
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
Thank you! It actually took really long to find enough mushrooms that would be of the same size. đâ¤ď¸đ
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#3
JoĂŁo Gameiro 8 years ago
Very beautiful images, but what do you do with them after? Remember these are the "fructifications" of the living being, necessary for their reproduction and survival. You may even come across endangered species
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
Thanks for the comment! The biggest part of the mushrooms actually grow underground, so picking up the visibile part doesn't hurt them. Mushroom spesialists have told me that even picking endangered species is not a problem because of that. What we usually call a "mushroom" is just their reproductive organ, and therefore I actually help them reproduce by taking them to a new place. And I leave all my installations to the forest for the bypassers to enjoy. đ
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#4
Ok Ha-Neul 8 years ago
i've never seen mushrooms like that before are they dyed the color is gorgoeus
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
They're all natural! đ Often the gills are a lot brighter and have a stranger colour than the cap, so you just have to turn the mushrooms around to see the magic. đâ¤ď¸đ
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Lyone Fein 8 years ago
This one is my favorite so far. Such good asymmetry, and incorporating the lichen, stick, etc.
#5
#6
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
Haha, my brother thought the same! He actually suggested that I should get this one animated! đ "The adventures of Mr. Trumpet Worm..."
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#7
#8
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
We have a pretty amazing nature! đâ¤ď¸đ
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Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
This I actually did one day when I accidentally found a lot of similar mushrooms. That's not that common, so I thought it would be fun to try something symmetrical. Happy to hear you like this! đ
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#11
#12
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
Yes!! đ And the grey thing between the pink flowers is an abandoned bees' nest I found nearby.
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riley.girl 8 years ago
It looks almost like a curled up starfish blowing bubbles! This is so creative and pretty!
#14
Salla Nivala 8 years ago
The red amanita on the left has a very Little Prince -esque vibe going on đ
Jeanne Richard 8 years ago
:) It actually reminds me more of the game Botanicula. XD Which funnily enough is from a company called Amanita Design.
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#16
Lauren Bergstrom 8 years ago
It's not meant to be symmetrical because nature isn't always perfect, even though it tries, it is imperfections like the one seen in the center mushroom that make this piece different. I think they may have built off the centerpiece.
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#17
#18
Saara Alhopuro 8 years ago
Thank you Maini! đ It was actually raining when I took this photo, so the colours pop up even more.
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Spending time in nature can be a profound source of artistic inspiration, much like how some artists use their surroundings as a gentle reminder to pause and appreciate the present moment.
The interplay between natural elements and creativity is beautifully explored in these thoughtful visual reflections, which complement the theme of nature-inspired art found here.
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What do you think ?
Mieke Sorée 8 years ago
I have mixed feelings about this. The colours are beautiful and so are the mushrooms. But I also think it's a waist to pick wild mushrooms just for this. What do you do with them after the photoshoot? Why not celebrate their beauty in their natural state, in the ground?
Saara Alhopuro (Post author) 8 years ago
Thanks for the comment! The biggest part of the mushrooms actually grow underground, so picking up the visibile part doesn't hurt them. What we usually call a "mushroom" is just their reproductive organ, and therefore I actually help them reproduce by taking them to a new place. And I leave all my installations to the forest for the bypassers to enjoy. 😊
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Susan Forbes 8 years ago
These appear magical! Now they just need a children's book to go with them!
Saara Alhopuro (Post author) 8 years ago
Thanks!! I like it too! 😊 I had never seen so bright pink mushrooms before, and suddenly there was a whole family of them. ❤️🍄
Load More Replies... Saara Alhopuro (Post author) 8 years ago
Thank you!! So grateful for this nature we have! ❤️
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Mieke Sorée 8 years ago
I have mixed feelings about this. The colours are beautiful and so are the mushrooms. But I also think it's a waist to pick wild mushrooms just for this. What do you do with them after the photoshoot? Why not celebrate their beauty in their natural state, in the ground?
Saara Alhopuro (Post author) 8 years ago
Thanks for the comment! The biggest part of the mushrooms actually grow underground, so picking up the visibile part doesn't hurt them. What we usually call a "mushroom" is just their reproductive organ, and therefore I actually help them reproduce by taking them to a new place. And I leave all my installations to the forest for the bypassers to enjoy. 😊
Load More Replies... Susan Forbes 8 years ago
These appear magical! Now they just need a children's book to go with them!
Saara Alhopuro (Post author) 8 years ago
Thanks!! I like it too! 😊 I had never seen so bright pink mushrooms before, and suddenly there was a whole family of them. ❤️🍄
Load More Replies... Saara Alhopuro (Post author) 8 years ago
Thank you!! So grateful for this nature we have! ❤️
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