John and Pat Hernandez: Masters of the Pine Needle Gourd Rim introduces you to a couple who brings their passions for art to their work table as they create beautifully stitched pine needle-rimmed gourds together.
A gourd master has worked with gourds long enough to understand what they want to do to enhance the gourd their way. They have learned to accomplish their goals and will tell you why they like each gourd. These statements always reveal their style.
If you are at the beginning of your journey, listen and look closely at their results and think about your goals for your gourd art. I have found that many of our gourd masters have similar goals.
John and Pat’s work reflects where many of us aspire to be, or as a gourd lover, we greatly respect their position in this gourd community. Enjoy learning about this talented couple.
John & Patricia have lived in Southwest Oklahoma for more than 40 years. John has been with the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton for over 30 years and has been its director since 2000.
Patricia had been a high school teacher in Lawton for 26 years and has recently retired. She helps John with all phases of the studio, including show preparation.
After trying several different art media, John discovered gourds in 2002. There was an immediate connection, a powerful intrinsic connection that was reaffirming and exciting. He finds coiling relaxing and has turned it into his passion.
Finding the right design cut for a pine needle gourd rim
“I begin by considering the organic nature of the gourd. It’s shape, height, and how the light hits it.”
Like most gourd artists, he starts by drawing experimental cut lines until one feels right.
“Once cut, I start with a plan, but usually, as I work with the gourd, it often guides me to a different way. I always leave myself open to my imagination.”
Each Move is intentional on our pine needle-rimmed gourds
”I carve the openings to reflect the organic nature of the gourds. Fluid and curving lines are the most interesting. I repeat this element in the needle work pattern around the rim.”
Each pine needle rimmed gourd reflects movement using color and the carving of the long, fluid, curving linear elements.
“We have perfected our craft through years of stitching long leaf pine needles onto countless gourds.”
Working Together Brings Success
John soon found that he could not complete enough gourds in a year to sell his work at festivals, so he asked Pat for help. Understanding the power of color, she took on the staining of the gourd surface.
Finding just the right colors is a powerful part of the gourd’s appeal for her. From ink dyes to alcohol dye, she creates a soft background effects to something more geometric and abstract. She also gives workshops on her technique.
Pat says that working together has strengthened their marriage.
They can share creative time and love their time at festivals.
Each of their gourds is started and sometimes finished in Lawton, Oklahoma; some are often finished on the road or at art festivals.
Preferred over a museum, John enjoys talking to the people who share an interest in his work.
“I often work on a gourd while there and every time someone wants to buy it because they watched as I created it. That is so rewarding!”
Teaching pine needle coiling is part of the art form
A patient teacher, John shares his skills with students.
“My job is to pass the skill on to my students, and they share it with others; that way, the art form continues.
He teaches students how to attach coils and floating coils in beginning classes and complicates the technique in advanced classes. As he teaches, he learns more.
“I am never going to learn everything about gourd art. I feel like I am in the middle of my journey.”
As the journey progresses, this couple go beyond the ideas they started with and tackle more complicated designs to use in unique ways.
“I have recently carved larger, elongated openings, using the sewn pine needle work to develop and accentuate the resulting graceful line of movement that I strive for.”
As you look closer at their gourds, you can see that the artists made decisions together, and the purpose of line and form are paramount, along with listening to their creativity.
Their goals become the essence of their style
“From the beginning, our goal has been to produce a unique work of art that our clients can connect with.”
“Learning from every gourd we create, each stitch is as important as the next, and that production work only leads to dissatisfaction. No two of our gourds are alike!”
“Make it more than it is, but don’t replace the essence of what the gourd is.”
“Just be open to the unexpect and try it.”
“Don’t settle for the obvious. Take it a step further!”
“Gourd art is not just birdhouses. It is a fine sculptural art.”
Let this couple tell you about their gourd art and their journey .
I can relate to this couple; my husband is a wood-turner passionate about creating fishing pole handles, which I then wood burn. He also helps me with my gourd jewelry pieces. Like John and Pat, we share the responsibilities for festivals and setup frustration. Still, we always enjoy discussing our art with customers and other artists. The togetherness is a “good thing”.
This couple can turn a common gourd into an uncommon work of art with paint, pine needles, and passion. You can see more at this website.
Several videos are online if you want to learn how to coil a rim on a gourd. Here is a tutorial from Grace Swanson, Tutorial for Coiling on a gourd to show you some details.
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