The Forager School x The Sea Ranch Lodge

If you’re headed to the Sea Ranch Lodge before the New Year, don’t miss The Forager School’s Mushroom Magic on the front porch! We held a wonderful opening event on December 16, complete with a mushroom ornament-making station. We lucked out with absolutely glorious weather; it was the perfect way to celebrate the upcoming winter break!

Notes on the artwork: 

The fall rains transform our coastal landscapes and the forest floor comes alive. Our students have had ample time this fall to hone their foraging skills, both in our campus backyard as well as on guided field trips with local naturalists and foragers.

There is an undeniable whimsy to mushrooms. With otherworldly forms and quirky names, they lend themselves to flights of fantasy. Witch’s butter? Black trumpets? Stinkhorns and puffballs? 

What child could resist?

To create the magical mushrooms for the exhibit, the students were tasked first with drawing and painting a mushroom of their choice (some of our youngest kids had a little help with the shape). The second step introduced mixed-media elements: pom-poms, glitter, felt, buttons, tissue paper… the 2D forms came alive in such different ways.

Finally, each student had the opportunity to privately tell Teacher Adela all about their mushroom- its name, its edibility, its notable traits. Adela transcribed each description word for word, and you will find them displayed alongside the finished mushroom. Through a child’s eyes, a candy cap is recast in colorful shades befitting a gumball machine, or a queen bolete becomes truly regal. Kids imagine power and potential for these incredible organisms that color every aspect of their (and our!) daily lives.

We are so grateful to the Sea Ranch Lodge for providing us with this stunning backdrop for the kids’ work!