Artists across the world and in western Illinois will be quietly hiding mushrooms in plain sight for an annual art event next month.
But they won’t be hiding real mushrooms come June 13.
They’ll be hiding painted ones, sculpted ones, and crocheted ones.
They might tuck a tiny canvas near a sidewalk or bury a mosaic in a planter by a park bench.
And if you find one, it’s yours to keep.
It’s called Game of Shrooms, and this year Buchanan Center for the Arts is helping turn Monmouth and surrounding communities into part of the global mushroom map.
“It’s a bit of a scavenger hunt,” said art instructor Christel Thompson, who previously participated in the event while living in California before helping bring the idea to Buchanan Center.
Thompson said Game of Shrooms is a one-day global art event where artists hide handmade mushroom-themed pieces in public places and post clues online so people can track them down. In California, she once hid a piece of mushroom art in the sign of a popular diner.
“What you’ll do is take your social media to do little videos or photographic clues so that people can find their way to your art,” Thompson said. “And then when people find the work, they will follow the information on the tag just to let you know that it's found.”
Anyone can participate — either by creating and hiding artwork or by hunting for it. If you need a little help making your mushrooms, Buchanan Center for the Arts is hosting four sessions this month to help get those creative juices flowing.
Rebecca Quick, program coordinator and social media curator for the Buchanan Center, said the sessions are from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday in May at the American Legion in Monmouth. The first one is May 6.
“You do not have to be an artist to participate. So the first class is the class that we really recommend anyone interested in this event to attend,” Quick said. “And if you would like to attend future classes, this is the one that you want to go to.”
Quick said they also help attendees navigate the technical aspects of Game of Shrooms, including signing up online, and guide them in creating artist cards for the event.
“So an artist card will be your identifier when people are looking for your artwork. On one side it will say Game of Shrooms, and then on the other side it'll have information as to how to tag the artist on Instagram so that the finder can let the artist know that the piece has been found,” Quick said.
The May 13 session will be about creating two-dimensional mushroom artwork such as paintings and collages, while the May 20 and May 27 sessions are for creating three-dimensional pieces using clay and mosaics.
“All four of the classes will be free,” Quick said, noting that Blick Art Materials in Galesburg has provided the supplies. Details about the sessions are available online.
There’s no single definition of what qualifies as mushroom art, but Quick and Thompson said the genre appeals to people because it’s fun and whimsical, and because mushrooms are a connection to nature.
“It's something that comes up in the spring and it's kind of a surprise,” Thompson said.
Quick said there are many different types of mushrooms as well.
“There isn't just one right answer to what a mushroom looks like or what mushroom art would look like, which makes it less daunting for artists who are either starting out or artists who don't really know where to create or how to start it,” Quick said.
If you’re curious about Game of Shrooms, head to Instagram, where Quick and Thompson will be posting their artwork to give people an idea of what to expect.
Thompson said you can also search the hashtag Game of Shrooms on Instagram for more information.
“You will just see an infinite amount of mushroom art of all kinds,” Thompson said. “I think that is not only inspiring to the finder but to the artists, just to see what other people are making.”
You can also follow the Buchanan Center for the Arts and Recharge Teen Center, where local teenagers will be creating artwork for the event — and hiding it for others to discover.
Quick said Game of Shrooms is a great way to engage community members of all ages in a collective art project.
“It includes not just the artists, but anyone who is walking about. Maybe it’s a child who is walking down the street and they see this little red top of a mushroom peeking out, and they’re like, Mom I need to see that,” Quick said. “And then they discover that it’s art, and they get to keep it. So it’s a really fun, inspiring kind of adventure for anyone.”
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