by Mickayla Poland
Where the Woods Rest
The woods of the PA Great Outdoors Region can an abundant resource for many. It’s a place to hike, hunt, relax, and explore. For Where the Woods Rest, they are home, inspiration, and the starting point for every piece of art.
Based in Kersey, PA, Maura Fledderman, the artist behind Where the Woods Rest, has always had a strong connection to the outdoors. When she’s not creating, there’s a good chance she’s somewhere in the woods hunting, spending time at camp, shooting archery, photographing nature, going for a ride, or simply enjoying time with family and friends. That love for the outdoors has naturally found its way into her creative work, where she combines mushrooms, wildlife, and other natural materials into one-of-a-kind works of art.
“I am in the woods, in my happy place, and that’s when the vision starts of what I am about to create,” she says.
From the Woods to the Workshop
Nature has played an important role in Maura’s life for as long as she can remember. Growing up, she spent countless hours hunting, fishing, and exploring, which developed a deep appreciation for the natural world. And as far back as she can remember she has enjoyed creating things and finding unique ways to express herself through art.
“I was looking to take two hobbies that I am so passionate about and put them together,” she explains.
With a strong support system of family and friends who continually encouraged Maura to put her work out into the world, Where the Woods Rest was born. Maura says, the name of itself is pretty straightforward.
“I simply wanted something that reflected my goal of taking pieces of the woods and turning them into artwork that can be laid to rest in your home forever.”
It’s a fitting description for work that gives natural materials a second life while allowing the character of each piece to remain part of the finished artwork.
Letting Nature Be the Canvas
It isn’t just Maura’s beautiful hand burned illustrations that makes a Where the Woods Rest piece unique, it’s often the canvas itself.
Large, foraged mushrooms have become a central part of the work, and Maria is inspired how no two are alike. Their individual shapes, textures, and natural characteristics become part of the design rather than something to work around.
“The mushroom becomes the canvas, and I get to build on what nature has already created.”
Maura describes her artistic style as deeply personal and emotionally driven. Each piece represents a journey, from where the material was found in nature, to the time spent creating it, to the person who eventually brings it home.
“I truly care about every piece I create and the adventure behind it,” she says.
A One-of-a-Kind Process
Creating with nature requires a little patience and a lot of confidence.
The process typically begins with a freshly found mushroom, which needs time to dry before she can begin working with it. Sometimes she begins with a vision already in mind. Other times, the mushroom itself dictates what the artwork should become. If she finds one with a particularly unusual shape, she’ll think about what design would fit it best. The natural form becomes part of the artwork.
The drawing process requires a pencil, a wood burner, and, most importantly, a steady hand.
“The tricky thing with the mushrooms is that once you draw on it there is no erasing. So every mark has to be close to perfect!”
From there, she can spend hours getting lost in the details and making adjustments until she’s happy with the finished piece.
Of course with Maura’s love for the outdoors, one of her favorite parts of the process is finding the mushroom itself. Yet, finding those mushrooms can also be the most challenging part. It’s a little like hunting as you search high and low and learn to recognize the types of trees, geography, and areas where they might grow, but there are never any guarantees.
She’s also been expanding her work into new pieces, including cutting boards that have quickly become another customer favorite.
It’s Not Paint!
One of the things people often assume when they see her mushroom artwork is that she paints directly onto the mushrooms.
She doesn’t. She just uses a pencil and a wood burner.
“A lot of people actually think that I am painting on the mushrooms, but I am in fact wood burning on them!”
The different shades and colorations come from changing the heat and temperature of the wood burner, allowing her to create subtle details and depth directly on the natural surface.
While it is a surprise that most of Maura’s artistic skills have been self-taught, it is no surprise that wildlife plays such an important role in her work. Nature has been a lifelong part of her identity, and some of her favorite subjects to create are also some of the most prominent animals in the PA Great Outdoor Region. Her elk and eagle creations were quickly customer favorites.
The Place that Shaped Her
Living in the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Region has had a huge influence on Where the Woods Rest.
Maura says she doesn’t think her work would look the same if she lived anywhere else.
The forests of Elk and Forest Counties, particularly the Hallton, Belltown, Loleta, and Cook Forest areas, hold a special place in her heart. Many of her favorite hunting and outdoor memories were made there with her dad.
Those experiences taught her patience, perspective, and an appreciation for the simple things in life.
“In many ways, those forests are where I discovered what truly matters to me and found meaning and purpose.”
That sense of peace and connection to the outdoors is reflected in every piece she creates.
A New Creative Adventure
Where the Woods Rest is a new creative adventure for Maura and it’s always evolving.
She’s currently working on a custom mushroom featuring two hunting dogs which is a special project requested by a family friend who has also provided her with many of the mushrooms she has worked with. For her, creating this piece is a fun opportunity to give something back, and she’s especially excited to see the finished reaction.
Although she has a hard time cutting into them, Maura is hoping to explore working with antlers more in the future. During their time in the woods, her dad and she typically find 20–30 shed antlers each year.
No matter what Maura is creating with, at the heart of Where the Woods Rest is a simple idea: slow down and notice what’s around you.
A mushroom. An antler. A peaceful walk in the woods.
These might seem like ordinary things, but to her, each one carries a story.
“I hope my work reminds people that there is beauty, purpose, and meaning all around us if we’re willing to slow down and notice it.”
Where to Find Where the Woods Rest
Where the Woods Rest attended the 2026 Elk Expo and can be found at the upcoming A Farmhouse Christmas, which coincides with the annual Gingerbread Tour November 6-8. You can also follow along with her work on Facebook at Where the Woods Rest and visit her website to see more of her creations.
For someone whose creative journey began with a lifelong love of the outdoors, Where the Woods Rest is a beautiful reminder that if we slow down and spend some time outside we can find inspiration and art all around us.
Follow along next month for our next Meet the Maker Story.
