Morel Dilemma

To eat or to draw, sometimes that is the question.

I helped a friend dig up some bulbs around her new garden. She gave me a couple morel mushrooms we happened upon. This year I have heard is a good one for finding morels. They are such remarkable plants, so architectural and vascular looking, right from a fairy tale. The brown hues in their catacombed flesh are complicated shades indeed.

The larger mushroom was fairly dried out already, but the other still plumb and edible. I couldn't help but leave it next to her sister (the Morel Sisters- like character names from a southern novel!) to draw and study. Soon, the smaller morel was dried up, too. But not before I immortalized "her" in scratchboard and watercolor. Tried to make a real-time print from the larger one, inking it up with a brayer, but alas, the results were unconvincing. I may try a simple rubber stamp print of one, stylized, when I get a chance.

Next time, I'll create my morels with a palette of garlic, spring greens and butter!