Welcome! My hobby is filling the house and garage with gourd containers. Time to do something. Let's try a website and make it an e-business. I pride myself in the concept that art should be unique and that each piece should be of utmost quality. Otherwise, what’s the point? Even if you are not buying, I would love to hear your feedback – positive or negative as I am still learning. I am too close to my work to know if it really seems vital to anyone else. (( This is the point at which some craftspersons will spew their mission statement, sputter some spiritual connection to the cosmos and how it is a moral imperative for you to appreciate their vision. We all have a spiritual side, but its manifestations are personal and defy explanation, so I won't do that to you. ))
My art relaxes me and, at the same time, excites my creative self – a total shift of gears from my pharmacy occupation.
Please – hopefully -- enjoy my gourd art and offer some suggestions. I am a relative newcomer to this medium. I do not do commission work.
Anyone interested in trading their artwork (whatever medium) with mine is encouraged to do so – I am not as interested in the money as I am the experience.
My gourds are 100 percent Indiana art – grown, cured, burned, dyed and finished here in the Hoosier state. The growing and curing are done on a 40 acre gourd farm in Tangier, Indiana by my friend Helen Thomas A.K.A. The “Sandlady.” I just do the fun part.
Gourds have known uses throughout time as eating, drinking and storage containers. Some are made into musical instruments, canteens, masks and even hats. They are remarkably durable and are often mistaken for pottery or porcelain pieces.
I use only aniline dye for colorfastness. The blues and greens ARE susceptible to fading in direct light, so keep them away from windows and halogen lighting. All of my designs are applied to the surface with a “Hot Tool”. This is called Pyrography or Pyroengraving. Many of my pieces are weighted and have a leather interior floor to make them sit better and give them a more finished look. A few have been fixed with epoxy to strengthen minor flaws, but the final product is strong and attractive. This is a labor of love and I think that it shows.
I have met many lovely people involved with gourd art. By all means, if you can ever attend the Indiana Gourd Society’s spring show, it’s the biggest and best. I am proud to have garnered 18 awards last spring including the chairman’s award at this world-wide event.
My pieces have been described as southwestern, art deco, architectural or art nouveau.
I have planted flowers in a few gourds. They can easily be waterproofed (inside) with melted paraffin, but I would suggest that you use them otherwise. Over watering could ruin the piece.