Description
Drawn by New England artist Catherine Tween.
- Print of an original watercolor painting
- Size: 20 x 20 inches (It's the size of the original painting. All the intricate details are visible.)
- Archival fine art paper
- This print is unframed and will arrive rolled in a tube
- Printed in the Connecticut River valley of western Massachusetts
From the artist:
A Seasonal Calendar of Wild Edible and Medicinal Mushroom Foraging in North America
This painting is an illustrated guide to edible and medicinal fungi of North America, showing which wild mushrooms to hunt for and when. It includes 28 of the most common and/or noteworthy mushrooms in this bio-region, their botanical illustrations, their scientific and common names, and a corresponding colored line showing the season in which they can be found and harvested.
This piece is for mushroom enthusiasts of every kind. Whether you're a gourmet wild food forager, a wildcrafting herbalist or medicine-maker, a re-wilding survivalist, a psychonaut, or simply a human being intending to connect more deeply with the land and with ancestral lifeways, this is my offering to you. Thank you for appreciating mushrooms. I hope this painting serves as a celebration of the wondrous world of fungi, and as a reminder of which fungal friends are out there to be found at any given spoke on the wheel of the year.
To my fellow mycophiles: I hope it brings you joy to see the fungal beings you know and love honored through illustration. I know it was a joy for me to honor them in this way.
For budding foragers: my hope is that this piece can serve as a jumping off point from which to begin your research into the magic of wild mushrooms. It is intended to be one of many resources you can consult, in addition to books, the internet, and expert mycologist elders/mentors. (Never let this be the only source of information you consult before consuming a wild mushroom!)
For more seasoned foragers: I hope this piece serves as an inspiration to take your knife and basket with you on hikes, and as a reminder of what to keep an eye out for, and when.
For those who have no interest in eating wild fungi but simply want to learn the names and forms of the fungal friends they meet in the forest: bless you, and thank you! Your curiosity and care are gifts, and the land feels your love. I believe that knowing a plant or mushroom by its name is powerful. That introduction alone can open space for a deep connection to form between you. If you've already started learning the names of the wild beings with whom we share the land, you probably know what I mean -- and if you haven't yet, you'll see!
A word of caution:
There are no deadly toxic mushrooms featured in this piece, but please be aware, some of the mushrooms featured here have poisonous look-alikes. Some need to be prepared in a specific way before they are safe to consume. Some are medicinal only at a certain dose, and dangerous at higher doses. Some require proper "set and setting."
Please research specific preparation methods before consuming any wild mushrooms. Always cross-check your identification with multiples sources, and ideally with a knowledgeable/experienced human, before consuming anything. Never eat any wild food if you are not 100% certain your identification is correct. As the saying goes: "There are old foragers, and there are bold foragers, but there are no old, bold foragers." Please proceed with caution and respect. Knowledge is power. Be safe my loves!
Blessings,
Cat
