Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Mountain Mahogany


The scent of mountain mahogany is the most powerful memory from my time spent in Great Basin National Park. September rains infused the mountain air with a wonderful licorice smell that took me a few days to realize was this ubiquitous tree. I loved the hours I spent knitting in the mountains surrounded by these trees and that smell. I created a headband that echoes the mahogany bark and reminds me of the scent every time I wear it.

Info from the pattern: Mountain mahogany is not a true mahogany but instead is in the rose family. It gets its name from the dense, heavy wood, which sinks in water. This shrubby, slow-growing tree thrives where other plants struggle: rocky, gravelly slopes in high mountain areas, with little water and plenty of sun. When it rains, the sweet licorice smell of the mountain mahogany infuses the air, encapsulating you in the landscape. This artwork was produced under the Darwin Lambert Artist in Residence Program at Great Basin National Park.