Puffball mushrooms were a source of entertainment for the artist as a young child wandering through the fields of her grandparents' farm. Brown, paper-like balls of fully mature puffballs would explode into puffs of "smoke" upon contact, so "puffball stomping" became an annual autumn game.

It may seem absurd to elevate such a plant to the level of a large-scale gilded sculpture, but it is far more ludicrous to leave our childhood sense of wonder and playfulness behind once we become adults. "Gilded Puffball" is a tribute to a simpler time and a reminder to honor the child that remains in each of us.

Photo credit: mclaughlinphoto.com