Kew Gardens (Wakehurst) Glow Wild winter lantern trail Nov/Dec 2020/21

Sarah Hall-Baqai: Fairy-tale fungi lanterns

Graphic designer and sculptor Sarah Hall-Baqai is introducing a new installation to our Winter Garden this year which explores the wonders of fungi.

Her fascinating fungi lanterns, from an enchanting fairy ring to giant puffballs, are inspired by the beautiful illustrations by Katie Scott in the book, Fungarium.

These luminary delights explore the elaborate textures and vibrant colours of fungi against the dramatic landscape of the Winter Garden.

Sarah’s lanterns are made from the versatile mediums of paper and willow.

Each of her lanterns takes between two and four days to complete depending on the size and complexity of the structure and surface design applied.

The willow structure is formed, which is then covered with cling film to give it more strength.

Several layers of translucent white paper and dilute PVA glue are then applied to the structure and the coloured surface pattern is sandwiched beneath the last layer of paper.