In the autumn of 2023, I collaborated with Quiet British Accent on a project exploring the hidden world of mycelium. As an artist who blends traditional craftsmanship with a modernist approach, I was drawn to the parallels between the organic networks beneath our feet and the digital networks that shape our world. Together, we created Money Trees + Stumpies, a collection that reimagines currency, language, and connectivity through natural materials.

Shop

At the heart of this work are transformed old pennies—each one shaped into a mushroom, symbolising the currency of life itself. Charred branches stand as markers of life’s cyclical nature, while knotted strings weave together the unseen connections that bind us all. The project draws on the silent conversations taking place beneath the forest floor, where mycelium networks facilitate communication, resource-sharing, and survival—just as digital networks enable human connection and exchange.

We launched the project on December 17th 2023 at the Connect & Create Festival in North Devon, introducing a limited edition of works available through our shop. The collection invites reflection on how nature and technology mirror each other. The mycelium network thrives in ever-changing environments, just as digital communication continuously evolves, shaping how we interact, learn, and trade.

By working with materials like wood, copper, and rope, we’ve sought to capture this intricate exchange between natural and digital worlds. The mushroom pennies, with their inscribed phrases, act as a bridge—connecting mycelium’s unspoken language with our own. Research suggests mycelium can ‘speak’ through electrical signals, using a vocabulary of up to 50 different ‘words’ to warn, share, and collaborate. This project encourages us to pause and consider our role within this broader ecological and societal dialogue.

Recognising these parallels deepens our appreciation of interconnectedness. Even in a world shaped by rapid technological change, we remain deeply entwined with the organic systems that sustain us.