How I got into gourds

So with the KPK show, I have been asked alot lately  "How did you get into gourds?".   I know it seems like a totally random thing right?  Well, its a long story...

Its sort of starts all the way back in college.  As an art major at a liberal arts college, we took all kinds of things - there was only slightly a "focus".  I was a painter.  But I took ceramics and found I loved it, but got into it kind of late.  One semester I spent so much time throwing on the wheel till late at night, that when I would go home I would do nothing but dream I was throwing on the wheel. Not very restful sleep.  Anyway, I loved it but just didn't see going into it.  The cost of the kiln, wheel, glazes, etc. - not to mention the space needed to do all that.  So, I graduated and that was that.

Fast forward a few years and I am pregnant with my second son.  I had back surgery while 4 months pregnant.  Before and after I found I could not stand or sit for much time, much less stand at an easel to paint.  At that time I was also a very frustrated painter and was having a really hard time with confidence in my work.  So, while at an art fair, I found myself buying a gourd.  The artist had seriously under priced them.  When I told her so, she said I grew all these and just needed to get rid of them!  So I took the gourd home and studied it and got a few free from a farmer.  I decided to start playing and see what I could do with them myself.   Needless to say, I loved it and I started doing tons of gourds. I decided to sell them when I had no room for any more!  I also felt a freedom to do anything and nobody could say anything because at that time I didn't know anybody else in the medium.

I also get asked where my ideas for each gourd comes from.  (Shrugs shoulders).... I don't know - how does anyone decide what to paint? I might be inspired by the shape of a gourd, or the skin of the gourd might be especially cool. Sometimes I have a really cool bead or fetish or some other item to put on it. I am inspired by ceramics and sculpture alot.  I have a file full of images that have sparked some kind of idea in me.  I never copy them, but take that vein of thought and run with it.  I have to change it and make it my own.   I especially love pine needle coiling and am finding that I do that on most of my gourds now. I do occasionally use philodendron sheaths or palm stalk or some other natural material that would be great for a rim of a gourd. 

The only thing I don't like about gourds is that when I do a show in the Midwest, I feel I have to explain them.  For example, if someone asks me "What kind of art do you do?"  I say gourds, but I HAVE to say NOT chickens and snowmen and birdhouses.  My work is more like ceramics (and is often mistaken for ceramics).  If someone asks me that question while I am in the Southwest, I dont' have to explain myself, they already know what I am talking about.   While I know my gourds are still a form of craft, I believe they are a fine art craft which is why I call them fine art gourds.

Kansans Paint Kansas

So its the final countdown to the show that has been taking over my life lately.  I have another TV interview today, WIBW if you are interested.  I had one Monday with KSNT and I think it went ok.  So today, I have more errands to run for TAG but hopefully this is the final stretch. I am SO ready for this to be over so I can think about something else and actually get some work done!! 

I do have some new jewelry pieces done so those will be at the gallery too.  SO - here are my gourd entries for the show.  My thought was to avoid the stereotypical "Kansas" things - sunflowers and wheat. Instead I went for Native American Kansas because I figured nobody else would do that. The other one is a tornado - while it still says "Kansas" to me, I tried to not be obvious about it.  Very different I know - that's the point. 

Prairie Thief Pot

Spoils of Trade

F2 (Tornado)

Anyway, if you live around Topeka, I hope you make it to the show!  Sunday the 26th from 2-5.  Food, wine, music and art!!

I need more time!

So, I have not accomplished anything of note in my own work this week. :(  I did a few jewelry peices but that is it.  I keep staring at my painting of Aspens thinking that I need to finish. The deadline is coming up in less than a month, and I have to admit I'm getting a bit panicky.  I am hoping tomorrow night or Saturday night I can get it done.  The boys have a "guys night" every week where my husband and our 2 boys sleep in the basement and do their thing, so I am thinking I can do it then. That's the plan anyway, we'll see if it gets done!

So tomorrow is D-day for Kansans Paint Kansas. All the entries will start coming in and my life will be on fast-forward till Oct 2 when its up and all the openings are done.  ugh.... deep breath.... here we go!!!

Gourds for Taos Blue

I did manage to get some actual work of my own down this week. These are off to Taos Blue today!

This month will be insane

I'm not sure how much I will post on here in the upcoming month. I'm not even sure how much work I will get done of my own!  The guild's big Kansans Paint Kansas show is this month and I am chairing it.  Today's activities included trying to coordinate 3 judges from 3 different cities (not so easy to do), organizing stuff at the gallery for the show, and - FINALLY - completely finishing my tornado for the show.

But, I still have not managed to hear from all the judges and I have to get the digital stuff juried, before the 11th when it needs to be here. Then comes the fun of sorting and hanging, and TV interviews and getting food and drinks and whatever fires start between now and then!  Why did I say I would chair this?  ;)

Oh, and I still have to get my artist in residence for national park stuff done.  Who knows when I will get to that? Probably about 1 am a day or 2 before its due!

Off to run soccer practice!