These Mushroom Sculptures were created by artist Tom Hare and our part of his newly commissioned sculptural installation, Fungi Fairy Ring at Kew Gardens. Tom’s speciality is working with greenwood, specifically willow to create large woven sculptures like these to commission. For Tom willow is the perfect example of a sustainable material that can be woven into a variety of forms. Working with Kew’s head of Fungarian, Dr Bryn Dentinger and the willow itself, Tom has woven seven different species of native edible fungi from chanterelles to field mushrooms, each measuring up to four metres high. The whole series of mushrooms can be traced back and found within Kew’s Fungarian, while the sculptures themselves are currently on display along the grounds Broad Walk until the 3rd November. As well as his commissions, Tom also teaches his craft of contemporary willow work together with basketry and furniture making. What interest me most in Tom’s work is his scaling and magnifying of detail and how he transfers his observations into design. Through watching this video on his Funghi sculptures and sketches my own imagination has been captured to consider new ways of translating nature and design into my food and baking. From to fungi to fork, watch this design baking space…