Rooms without Walls...

The Destroying Angel, amanita virosa, is among the most toxic of fungus. This brilliant white mushroom was the initial idea behind "Destroying Angel".

Originally, the plot was to be poisonous mushrooms against edible/medicinal mushrooms...the problem was that there were only a hand full of really toxic mushrooms, and the number of edible and medicinal shrooms far outnumbered them, then there were non-edible, but non-toxic mushrooms to account for...
I quickly changed the characters in the story to be based on the actual characteristics and environments of the individual species they were based on.

And so, Destroying Angel became the main hero character, rather than a villain.
Chantrelle, Boletus, Matsutake, and other well known mushrooms had soon changed sides, and insects and slugs were introduced as characters playing major roles in the relationships mushrooms have with one another, and their environments...

Following this change to the story, I found myself suddenly immersed in mushroom research...for the next two years!

Days were spent hunting and photographing mushrooms and their surroundings on a Macro level. Nights consisted of researching the comparisons and differences and where and why and HOW these amazing organizms live and thrive.

By 2009, I had written a story in Ten Volumes, and created eight Hero characters, and as many villainous fungi...along with insect and various other forest creatures who play a part in this world beneath our feet, and are involved in lies, deceipt, war and love...the concept was far from what I had envisioned initially...

Rogue again...

The Destroying Angel began in the conceptual stages in 2006. Originally, it was going to be a comic book, which had evolved to the "graphic novel"...and so I decided, rather than more cells, and less words, I would create it instead with full page illustrations, and more descriptive writing (i hope)...

During 2007, we moved to Cannon Beach, i shelved the project for the most part while doing field research along the coast. I discovered much more about Fungi than I had ever even imagined, and that was just scraping the surface....

My research and field study continued in 2008 and 2009. It was from late 2007 through mid 2008 that the main characters, villains scenery were re-created, edited and finalized. By the end of 2008, I had eight main heroes, and at least four sidekicks, as well as 15 villains and numerous other threats for our band of samurai shrooms to battle and defend against...in the realm of fungi...

In mid 2009, I returned to the Rogue Valley (home) with my family. With a firm foundation on which to build this story, I began collecting action figures to use as prototypes for the Destroying Angel line...by applying a paper clay to the extremities, and heads/or removing them, I will remold, and detail/paint/color/clothe each character. The difference in scale is going to be a main factor, as some characters are very small, while others are very large in comparison.

It is now 2010...

technology is advancing beyond even our own grasp...yet we hold on...

I have been busy moving, working, drawing, all the same stuff...still no where to do what I do, but I do it nonetheless....and all of that is about to CHANGE!!!

Our new place in Ashland has a storage shed that amazingly is not cluttered with other peoples belongings! A little drywall and a rug, and I will finally have a place to write, illustrate and complete Destroying Angel...and a place to create the prototype action figures as well! I am really looking forward to proceeding with my story of Samurai Mushrooms...

Destroying Angel characters from LEFT to RIGHT :

Od Dolore, Cobalt Soot, Od Del, Ebisu, Cysto Modio, Gobo Oborem, Nogero Elente, Ero ilisili, Destroying Angel, Ervilius <8>, Chocho Rubra.

I am beginning a new spread for FUNGI magazine (www.fungimag.com) - showcasing all of the most popular forays and events around North America! And this summer, I plan to set out to capture my own photos of Psathyrella Aquatic, the worlds only known Underwater Gilled Mushroom! (No, not gills like a fish)...

Mushroomers (mycophiles) are coming outta the woodwork now...i meet people every other day with a connection to, or who are aware of someone with a connection to....Mushrooms. And here comes Alice in Wonderland to re-confirm all of the misconceptions of these wonderful organisms. It had better be good!

stay tuned for more on...