I'm often asked, "What are gourds?"

A gourd is a fleshy, typically large fruit with a hard skin; some of which are edible.  As the gourds are drying in the field they have a skin on them that gets moldy as they go from green to a wood like surface.  This mold is what gives them life. After they have cured the outer surface skin is removed and cleaned and their beauty is exposed.  Depending on the type of gourd, of which there are many, each is unique. Some are marked or scarred, and like nature not every one is perfect. 

In their shape and texture, as an artist, I see possibilities.  Painting, carving, wood-burning, beadwork, and other embellishments are used to enhance and make one-of-a-kind pieces of art.  Sometimes they need nothing more than a stain to bring out their beauty.