I first became interested in gourd art shortly after I moved to Arizona with my husband, Stephen, in 2009.  I’d never seen gourd art when I lived in Rhode Island, but after visiting the art show in Pine, AZ, I was hooked by the beauty and possibilities of creating art on gourds.  I became aware of the annual Gourd Festival that occurs in Casa Grande, AZ every year that offers workshops to teach the techniques of selecting, preparing, carving, and, burning on gourds.  I signed up for a couple of courses and the rest in history.

Since that first year, I have taken many courses and read many technique books.   I use many different techniques in creating the finished product.  I use a variety of hand and power tools to carve, cut, and also “burn” patterns letting my imagination run wild.  My southwest-themed gourds feature nature scenes incorporating familiar objects like cacti, mountains, local animals, and birds such as roadrunners, quail, and the ever-present Kokopelli.  I also do a lot of geometric patterns on gourds incorporating stones and antlers into the designs.

Artist website:  GreatGourds.com