loamy earth

Partial reconstruction of an early medieval gord (Slavic fortified settlement) in Stobierna, Poland.

Embroidered Sculptures Recreate Lifelike Mushrooms, Lichen, and Fungi in Thread

by Grace Ebert - Colossal, February 25, 2022

Amanda Cobbett suspends a singular moment in the fleeting lives of fungi by stitching their likeness in thread. The textile artist photographs and gathers specimens that she brings back to her Surrey Hills-based studio, where she finds fibers to match pale green lichens and golden chanterelles. Using a free-motion embroidery technique on a sewing machine, she then stitches multiple layers onto a piece of dissolvable fabric that, once the organism is complete, is washed away to leave just the mushroom or mossy bark intact. As a scroll through her Instagram reveals, the resulting sculptures are so realistic in color, shape, and size that it’s difficult to distinguish the artist’s iterations from their counterparts.

Currently, Cobbett is preparing a collection that will head to the Artful Craft exhibition at Make Southwest, which opens on April 2.

I love transitional Armors - The 1300s are abound with unique kits.

Particularly Sapper kits are always unique, as they're specialized for the task at hand - which is often hard manual labor under threat of stones and arrows.

The Long Hammer would work fine in a pinch, if the besieged force were to sally out.

[ID: Painted clay sculpture of a centaur lying on his side with his arms loosely crossed and head propped against his shoulder. His eyes are closed in a relaxed expression. He has a healed scar running from his armpit across his chest. His horse-body is red-brown with dapples on the sides and a white belly and back legs. End ID.]