What are Funguise?

Funguise (“Fun-Guyz”) are enchanted mushroom creatures!

They exist to maintain the balance of magical energy on earth - similar to how Fungi break down organic matter to release carbon and other nutrients into the ecosystem.

Using their psychic hyphae, Funguise release the energies locked in magical beast sheddings, or complex spellwork and ritual - which is also known as “magical residue."

However magical energies are also utilized in more commonplace tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and creating. For this reason, Funguise generally survive longer in cohabitation with humans, making them excellent magical companions!

So in exchange for the steady flow of food, a Funguise can keep your spaces free of overwhelming magical residue, and keep the energies freely flowing in your home.

FAST FACTS ABOUT FUNGUISE:

1. When did you start making the Funguise?

I made the first figurines in April of 2018.

The memory is very vivid because my partner was sick with the flu at the time, so I remember sitting on the couch pinching and pulling at clay anxiously while he was in the other room with a really high fever. :(

2. What inspired you to make them?

The idea of little mushroom creatures had been bouncing around in my head for a long time -- longer than usual. I've had a history of being pretty erratic with my artistic focuses so for one idea to keep popping into my head was pretty significant to me. I’m a BIG believer in creative MUSES.

(I like to give a nod to a few artists who I was following at the time -- their work no doubt contributed to this sub-conscious messaging that mushrooms were my destiny. Please go look at Hannakin, Faunwood, and yinyue_duzii!)

But once I made the first set I just fell in love! I experienced a curiosity that I had never encountered before in my own work, and I wanted to just keep trying new shapes and colors. Having recently re-discovered my love for sculpting after a 10 year hiatus I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to recreate the various textures that are present on different mushrooms.

However, it wasn't until I started researching mycology to help write my zine series that I became so passionate. The fascinating world of fungi is so incredible! In my spare time I love reading books about Fungi, practicing amateur mushroom hunting, and about learning how mushrooms have influenced human culture!

3. Why are some shaped like people and others more like animals?

Well, this ties into the Funguise fantasy biology, which I recommend you read the first volume of my zine series to understand better. But to give you a taste, the shape of a Funguise is determined by an early diet choice.

4. Are they social creatures? Do they live in in groups or are they ok alone?

This is a complicated question, and I'll explain more in the second volume of my zine series. In short, they prefer to be in groups but as long as they have a companion (like yourself) and a food source they're ok.

5. Do they have any natural predators in the wild?

Yes! Funguise have many natural predators, magical and natural but the only one I'll tell you about outside the second volume of my zine series is CATS! For some reason Cats absolutely love to hunt Funguise - so be careful if you have them in your home!

6. Do they enjoy being in human captivity?

Funguise really enjoy the company of humans because it means a steady stream of food! Learn more about the relationship between humans and Funguise in the second volume of my zine series.

7. Can they get sick?

Funguise don't get sick like most organisms do however there is an affliction they are prone to called "ROT" -- this is a complex and dangerous "illness" which I will go into more detail about in the third volume of my zine series!

8. Ok, so where can I find these zines you keep referencing???

Ok - REAL TALK: I wrote and released the first volume in 2019 and then as I started to study mycology more the original lore I had sketched out for the Funguise started to evolve. Although the Funguise are purely fantasy, they imitate the wonderful world of Fungi in a very intentional way. So as my understanding of mushrooms expands so has the lore - and THAT is why we haven’t seen the release of any more zines. I’m stuck in a cycle of learning and editing and I haven’t been able to break that cycle and commit anything to paper yet, haha! BUT SOMEDAY, OK?