The Artistry of Making Gourds Wolf EyesOrnamental gourds are objects of art, created from the inedible fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family of plants that include squash, melon, pumpkins and the like.

In a bygone era, the dried hollowed-out shell of a gourd was used for a drinking or dipping cup.

Gourds grow on trailing vines and, when mature, are picked and dried for about 8 months before they can be used.

I first became interested in gourd art when I saw a friends work and realized all the possibilities it could offer me.

That was the beginning of an interest to use a natural material for expressing my artwork and love of nature.

So, the seeds were planted in lamp

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the spring and became long vines with heavy green gourds of all sizes and shapes. After the first fall frost they are harvested and hung from the cellar rafters with twine for eight to twelve months to dry.

Preparing the gourd canvas is a laborious work of soaking, scrubbing, sawing, sanding and cleaning them out.

Applying the techniques of painting, staining, wood burning or carving each gourd offers a unique pallet for creation. It has been an evolution over time to express my ideas; the newest of which is gourd accent lights giving a soft romantic look to the night!