Frequently
asked Questions
What
is a gourd?
The
gourd, an inedible member of the squash family,
comes in many ornamental varieties, shapes and sizes.
Like squash, gourds grow on vines. I purchase most
of my gourds from Pennsylvania and California. When
I buy them they have already gone through the lengthy
drying process and are hard-shelled. The forces
of nature give every gourd its unique combination
of qualities - its size, shape, stains and marks.
What
materials do you use?
Each
gourd is a natural "canvas" for the gourd artist
and the design possibilities are endless. You can
treat the surface of the gourd in countless ways
with stains, inks and paints. You can also carve
it
and sculpt it, or inlay materials. I use a Dremel
rotary carving tool to do most of the carving. The
paints I use most often are acrylic or gouache watercolor.
I love to use fossils, stones, beads and many other
materials to embellish the gourds. I finish each
piece with at least three coats of clear polyurethane
to protect the surface.
How
do I care for my gourd art?
The
work of art you have purchased will enhance the
décor of any room in your home, or make a perfect
and unique gift for someone you love. The gourd
will last long enough to be passed down to 
future
generations. Because the surface is protected with
polyurethane, it can be dusted gently with a damp
cloth. Gourds will even do well outdoors, especially
if they are not subjected to extreme conditions.
Sometimes
certain gourd shapes and designs will tempt people
to put a candle inside for a lantern effect. Since
there is always risk of fire, I'd advise against
flames too close to the interior of the gourd. A
safer choice is to use a flickering LED candle inside
a gourd.
Although
gourds have been used for centuries as canteens,
dippers, and bowls, I advise against putting water
in these works of art. Wall hung gourds and gourd
vases make beautiful containers for dried or silk
flowers, grasses, branches and much more.
The
gourd looks so fragile, will it break easily?
Gourds
are not as fragile as they look, and they are also
much lighter in weight than you'd expect. Sometimes
a gourd takes a tumble in my studio, but they rarely
break or crack unless they fall "just right" or
take a hard blow.
Recently,
at a windy craft show, another artist's tent blew
into the side of my tent. The force of that impact
caused a set of my wooden display shelves (full
of gourds) to fall over. First the gourds hit the
ground, then the heavy wooden shelves landed on
top of them. The sound of the crash was awful -
in that moment I was sure that many of the gourds
must have broken. Upon careful examination, I found
that only two gourds had been cracked. The rest
were all unharmed! (I doubt that pottery would have
fared so well.)
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Winterwood Studio
Lynn Thomas ~
Bainbridge NY
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