Lorraine Roy: Textile Art

2016

Fabric wall hanging, 46" across  

SOLD

Seasonal cycles affect the various processes of tree root relationships - what we see above is only a small part of the complex ebb and flow beneath our feet.

There are two types of fungi that colonize tree roots: Arbuscular fungi and Ectomycorrhizal fungi. Ectomycorrhizal fungi spread their strands AROUND root cells, forming a 3-D spongy structure called the Hartig net. The tip of the root becomes enveloped with a pale mantle, easily seen with the naked eye. For this piece, I used a cross section of root as a model for the centre, to show the way Ectomycorrhizal Fungi surround the outer parts of the cells within the roots.

“Four seasons in one day
Lying in the depths of your imagination
Worlds above and worlds below
The sun shines on the black clouds hanging over the domain

Even when you're feeling warm
The temperature could drop away
Like four seasons in one day”

From the song “Four Seasons in one Day”, by Crowded House