What’s Your Spark Shroom?

In the birding world, a ‘spark bird’ is that one bird whose presence captures your heart and opens your eyes to the wonder of birds and nature. This talk will begin with a sharing of our SPARK SHROOMS - those mushroom finds that got us all hooked on mycology, and made us want to come to this talk in the first place! Then, Ben will share some of his most memorable fungal encounters from across the United States over the past decade - experiences (such as eating Gyromitra esculenta and living to tell the tale) that continue to serve as catalysts for his lifelong love of mycology. You will also get a sneak peek of a brand new mushroom film created from this year’s costume for the Telluride Mushroom Festival Parade (that definitely should have won ‘Best In Show’ instead of Hamilton).

Zoom info coming soon.

Ben Kinsley is an artist, educator, and amateur mycologist. He was introduced to the world of mycology through his involvement with the New York Mycological Society where he got hooked through the teachings of renowned mycologist Gary Lincoff. He is a past president and current board member of the Pikes Peak Mycological Society (PPMS) in Colorado Springs. He has led forays with PPMS, the North American Mycological Association (NAMA), and the Telluride Mushroom Festival. Ben has been collaborating with Riitta Ikonen and Jessica Langley on award winning mushroom costumes for the Telluride Mushroom Festival since 2019. They are the subjects of the mockumentary "Fest in Show", and their costumes have been featured in the film "Fantastic Fungi", in Mushroom People Magazine I and II, Travel + Leisure, and Vogue.