Cleaning Gourds....You Never Know What You Will Find

One of the most rewarding and most frustrating steps in creating gourd art is cleaning the dried gourd.  When the gourd dries, it becomes coated in a layer of mold.  This moldy layer varies with each gourd.  Sometimes it is thin and easily removed by soaking the gourd in water and scrubbing it with a plastic or copper pot scrubber.  But other times the layer of mold is very thick and is resistant to the cleaning process.  These gourds are not only soaked in water and scrubbed but are also scraped carefully with sharp wood-carving tools or an exacto knife to expose the smooth hard skin of the gourd. 

After the layers of mold are removed, a unique pattern is left on the shell of the gourd.  Some gourds have very little pattern while others are completely covered with dark shapes and lines.  I have learned from the cleaning process that I have to work with whatever I find under the mold.  I must use the natural pattern of the gourd to create my work of art.  So it is with life.  I must work with the natural pattern of what comes into my life and add my own creative touches to cultivate the life of my choosing.  Only in working with what I have been given will I be able to stay true to the natural beauty of the gourd or of my own life.   

 

A dried gourd covered with a heavy layer of mold.

After the gourd is soaked in water for about 30 minutes,
it is scrubbed with a plastic scrubber to remove the layers
of mold.  This process is helps to reveal the unique patterns
that naturally occur on the gourd.

Some gourds must be scraped with an exacto knife or wood-
carving tool to remove stubborn layers of mold or dried
membranes from the surface of the gourd. 

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"Creativity is God's will for us and should be practiced like any other spiritual practice - a day at a time."  ~  Julia Cameron

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The week of Valentines Day seems to be the perfect time to ponder love and romance.  I have created several gourds as wedding gifts, but today I received the first request for an anniversary gourd.  I am excited about the possibilities for the gourd and anxiously waiting to receive the request form.  Until then, I thought I would share photos of a couple of the wedding gourds I have created. 

 

Featuring a quote from Anodea Judith, this gourd
was a gift to a dear friend.  Life circumstances kept
them waiting 20 years to marry.  The names of the bride
and groom as well as the date of the wedding are on the
underneath side of the gourd.





The back of this gourd features part of the scripture
from 1st Corinthians 13....the love chapter of the Bible.
I created this gourd for my niece and her husband to
celebrate their marriage and life together.  The front
features a large monogram, the date of the wedding, and
the names of the bride and groom.





This gourd was a special order to celebrate the marriage of
two young people.  Not only does it feature verses from 1st Corinthians 13,
but their names and descriptive words about the couple are hidden
within the vines and flower buds.



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