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Jackie Harder
@jackieharderart

126,122 followers

I’m excited to share one of my most complex and elaborate creations to date, the Oyster Mushling family! I had a lot of fun giving each mushroom creature their own little mood and personality. 🥰 I also learned some really cool things about oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, on my journey of conjuring up these little mushroom friends. Did you know oyster mushrooms are carnivorous? In the wild they typically live on wood, so they have limited access to all of the nutrients they need. Therefore they attract unsuspecting nematodes (roundworms) by emitting aromatic chemicals that offer these creatures the promise of an enticing dinner. The mushroom murder weapon of choice? The Sticky Knob, a lollipop looking structure that grows on their hyphae (basically mushroom roots) and are filled with poison. Upon contact the nematodes are paralyzed and killed! The mushroom proceeds to inject their hyphae into the corpses, dissolving the worms and absorbing the remaining slurry that is left! 😱 I share other fascinating oyster mushroom info and more on how I made this sculpture in my latest Youtube video! You also get to join me while I visit my husband’s mushroom farm, who has been growing fungi for over 10 years! You can get to my channel from the link in my bio. 🍄✨ . . . . #polymerclay #mushroomart #creepycute #mushrooms #fungi #artist #instaart #igart #fantasyart #sculpture #natureinspired #forage #fungusamongus #mushroomdecor #mushroomhunting #cosclay #polymerclayartist #popsurrealism