# Anybody else into gourd art? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945 "2008-02-24T13:55:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/1 "2008-02-24T13:55:25Z")
My folks got into this a few years back, and Ivylad got interested too. We went here [here](http://flgourdsoc.org/) yesterday. I have to tell you, the work I saw on some of those gourds was absolutely stunning, everything from wood-burning to painting to relief carving. (BTW, my folks won prizes, my dad a first and second place ribbon, my step-mom a second, third, and honorable mention. The woman who won the masters division had only been doing artwork for three years!) If you’re into woodworking, you can get into gourd art fairly easily, since the tools and techniques are the same. Google _Gourd Art_ and you’ll see amazing examples of artists’ imaginations. Not to mention, the gourds range in size and shape from the ones usable to jewelry, to ones that stand four feet tall, so you can find practically any medium to suit your tastes. Ivylad, who’s into woodworking, got a big bag of gourds of all shapes and sizes, some little egg-shaped ones we’re going to turn into Christmas ornaments, and he’s going to make me a [purse](http://www.creativeaccentsbyterry.com/gourd_purses.html) out of a canteen gourd. He also got seeds to grow his own. Anybody else into this? ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/2 "2008-02-24T14:14:44Z")
I’m not, but I know **Kalhoun** is…she has linked to pictures of her gourds before, and they are really cool. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/3 "2008-02-24T18:06:58Z")
My best friend has been gourding for several years. [Here](http://www.gourdgalleria.com/ElaineLinton/ElaineLintonArtPage.html) are a few of her gourds from when she first started with the Gourd Galleria. She’s up at the [Welburn Gourd Farm](http://www.welburngourdfarm.com/index.asp) every couple of weeks to buy gourds and supplies. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/4 "2008-02-24T21:14:35Z")
We’re making a birdhouse and a birdfeeder for our first project. Ivylad’s birdhouse has a crack in it, and I think you can use the pith from the gourds innards to make a paste and seal it. Right now, he’s attempting to glue it, but we think stronger measures are needed. Mine has been in a bleach bath and is currently drying. Then, we’ll cut the sides to make a three-sided feeder and get the seeds and pith out. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/5 "2008-02-24T23:08:25Z")
Cool stuff! Please take pics along the way as well as of the finished projects and let us see them. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/6 "2008-02-24T23:53:12Z")
We have 3 or 4 Halloween gourds and one large Santa gourd from [Meadowbrooke Gourds](http://gourdshop.com/retail/index.php?cPath=117&osCsid=6c4a7a52123a135d9b6253188ea1d95d). They’re a bit expensive, but we love them. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/7 "2008-02-25T01:06:40Z")
Not a gourd, but I once saw an eggplant shaped like the head of the famed naturalist John Muir. And my mom enjoys putting up pretty gourds in fall. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/8 "2008-02-25T18:24:24Z")
I don’t like using the Dremel…it makes me nervous. It’s amazing how many seeds are in those things…we’ll never have to buy seeds again! Ivylad tried out his woodburning tool, and determing a heat setting of 4-5 is best, with 2 giving a nice fine line and 12 setting the gourd on fire. Not good. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/9 "2008-02-25T23:50:42Z")
I’ve been gourding on and off for about 15 years. Once you start playing with them your imagination explodes with ideas for projects. Over the years I’ve made birdhouses, bird feeders, ornaments, canteens, purses, cups, spoons, dippers, hats, masks, decorative bowls (some carved, some painted, some embellished with plant material, yarn and beads). [The Caning Shop](http://www.caningshop.com/) is a good source for supplies and tools. There are several excellent books out on gourd crafting: [The Complete Book of Gourd Craft](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Gourd-Craft-Inspirational/dp/1887374558/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203982820&sr=1-1), [Gourds in Your Garden](http://www.amazon.com/Gourds-Your-Garden-Guidebook-Gardener/dp/0965869156/ref=pd_sim_b_img_4) and [Making Gourd Musical Instruments](http://www.caningshop.com/html/tour_1.html) are all must haves. There are gourd societies in every state (and around the world) that put on shows and demonstrations. [The American Gourd Society](http://www.americangourdsociety.org/) is a good place to get info on local chapters and happenings. I encourage everyone to grab a gourd and see what you can do with it. The possibilities are endless! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/10 "2008-02-26T00:34:11Z")
Thanks for the links! Ivylad joined the Florida Gourd Society…he’ll look into the American Gourd Society once he’s gotten the hang of things. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/11 "2008-03-11T21:39:02Z")
(Thanks Sarahfeena!!) I love making gourds. I gave a bunch away this year as Christmas gifts. Here are some of my older ones [Gourds | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/karlen/sets/72157600406236240/) . I wish I had more time to devote to them. It’s very relaxing. I do all kinds of stuff to them. Stitching, drilling painting with leather dyes, beading, horse hair…pretty much anything you can think of can be used to enhance a gourd. There are some awesome books on the subject. They take my breath away. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/12 "2008-03-11T21:58:52Z")
Hey **Kalhoun**! Your work is beautiful. Gourds are addictive, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/13 "2008-03-11T22:14:32Z")
Check [these](http://www.maverickcreations.com/art-gallery/gourd-art/gourd-art.html) out… fabulous. My favorite is probably the [lotus bowl](http://www.maverickcreations.com/art-gallery/gourd-art/LotusBowlGourd.html) - but the gourd dolls are pretty cool. What’s remarkable is that it is the very same artist who produced [these](http://www.maverickcreations.com/art-gallery/pointillism/pointillism.html)! That site also has some incredibly cool custom made [clocks](http://www.maverickcreations.com/index.html) of an incredible variety of designs. I love the [modern](http://www.maverickcreations.com/WallClocks/modern_retro.html) styles. And there’s sculpture, decorated skulls, watercolor… great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/14 "2008-03-11T22:53:14Z")
[QUOTE=Encinitas] Hey **Kalhoun**! Your work is beautiful. Gourds are addictive, aren’t they? [/QUOTE] Thanks. Yes, they are! I’ve cultivated a sub-addiction with the beads. I have a bead store near me and I can drop $100 in there in no time flat. One of the gourds in my link was looking rather ho-hum and I sewed some beads into it and it’s way cool now (unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of it before I gave it away). I wish I could remember the name of the book I found that had some of the most gorgeous examples of what can be done. Oh, and the seeds make me kind of crazy. The gourds that I use [http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/product/RCCC](http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/product/RCCC) have a big clump of seeds in the center and are extremely easy to clean out. I buy from the Amish Gourds site…I’ve been very happy with them. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/15 "2008-03-15T02:13:36Z")
**Kalhoun** , your work is gorgeous! I must admit, I’m a bit intimidated with the blank slate, but I don’t think I can go wrong with painting a few flowers. Ivylad has sketched out a bird’s nest and branches on his birdhouse, with the nest part right under the hole, and he’s going to woodburn it. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/16 "2008-03-15T19:59:46Z")
I’m not into gourd art but find it very interesting. Mostly I’ve just wanted to grow some successful birdhouse gourds. 🙂 Some of you have linked to specialty gourd seed places, but can you generally get the right kind of gourd seed locally? ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-into-gourd-art/438945/17 "2008-03-17T19:32:44Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] I’m not into gourd art but find it very interesting. Mostly I’ve just wanted to grow some successful birdhouse gourds. 🙂 Some of you have linked to specialty gourd seed places, but can you generally get the right kind of gourd seed locally? [/QUOTE] One problem with gourds is that they cross pollinate very easily. So you may start out with the birdhouse gourd variety but it could easily cross with a canteen variety and you could end up with a gourd with an undesirable shape. Most commercial producers grow their seed gourds under controlled conditions and hand pollinate them to assure they are true to type. An excellent resource is Ginger Summit’s book [Gourds in your Garden](http://www.amazon.com/Gourds-Your-Garden-Guidebook-Gardener/dp/0965869156/ref=pd_sim_b_img_4), which has everything you need to know about gourd propagation.