AlabamaDenison University, B.A.University of Florida, BFA & MFA Lynnette Hesser is a full-time artist and ceramic artist. She conducts workshops and exhibits her work nationwide. As a sculptural ceramic artist, my work celebrates pattern and captures the beauty and essence of nature. Recently, I have created mushroom and fungus clusters, that can easily hang on the wall or be displayed on a table. As I seek to involve the viewer in the wonder of the delicate qualities of nature and pattern, the essence of natural form is captured rather than recreated with each piece as an individual and unique sculpture. These intricate designs come from personal observation; my serendipitous photography of mushrooms, fungus, and tree bark; and my imagination. I also study mushrooms, fungus, and tree bark educational books for a basis of design themes. Attention to detail is paramount in my work as I seek to create the illusion of realism. The pieces are hand built from thin, soft slabs of a cone 6, white stoneware clay using a hollow technique I developed to lighten the sculptures. Two almost identical shapes are cut from the clay, but instead of putting them together in matching positions for a front and a back, I reverse one of the pieces to create an undulating and folding form. I then attach the individual sides together to form one mushroom and puff air into the hollow base of the small form to add more volume. The mushroom forms are entirely hollow unless they are only one layer thick. The tree limbs and sections of rotting trunks are also hollow with internal structural supports. When stiffened a bit and can hold their shape (a state called leatherhard), the individual mushrooms are attached to a shaped base or a clay “log” keeping the hole in the stem open for steam to escape during the firing processes into the log or base shape. After completely drying, the pieces go through the first firing process called the bisque. When cooled, the sculptures are then finished with multiple ceramic stains, colorants, and glazes for the final decoration and are fired this time to cone 6 in an electric kiln.