In this post Cyndee’shares an easy 3-point approach to gourd figures that will sell and win ribbons.
Taking advantage of a gourd’s shape can turn into a real challenge!
If you are beginning with gourd art, it is easy to be overwhelmed with decorative products and techniques. Most gourd artists love gourds because of their shapes and the versatility of the gourd’s surface.
Therefore, when Cyndee focuses on the gourd’s shape, the story it brings to her imagination, and her respect for the plant, she is assured of creating a work of art that sells and wins ribbons.
In fact, the gourd you choose to pick up “speaks to you.” As you plan a design, a story begins to form. Then, we tend to detour toward the many complicated process options we have before us.
Meet an artist committed to just a simple approach of picking a shape and a story and using all her skills to stay true to the gourd nature.
Her creativity and curiosity keep her busy.
Cyndee Newick lives in Campbell, California, in the area more commonly known as Silicon Valley. With her husband, two large rescue dogs, and two rescue cats, she is active in the community, organic gardening, beekeeping, and creating club newsletters and websites. She also plays flute in the Saratoga Community Band.
Every moment is an act of creation for Cyndee.
Expanding her knowledge has been a life long adventure
Furthermore, Cyndee’s diverse interests range from archaeology, mythology, and symbolism, which blend well with vine fruit that can be used for many purposes. Her willingness to explore new ideas and interests has led her to many learning environments. She has a B.S. degree in Recreation, and as part of her job for 20 years, she taught craft classes to children and adults; Cyndee has taken 40 graduate units in Clinical Art Therapy. She also has about 20 units in Digital Media Arts.
Finding Her Way to Gourds
As an organic gardener, Cyndee sought an art form that used environmentally sensitive and versatile natural products. She had played around with drying plants, papermaking, and growing herbs, but they didn’t resonate with Cyndee. Then she bought some gourds in Sothern, California, and found her medium.
“Gourds have a unique historical, cultural, and ethnic quality that could be better exploited to help remind people of our interconnectedness with the earth.”
Gourds are now her Creative passion.
“I let the gourd, with its natural beauty and flaws, tell its own story.”
“I have been creating gourd art for 18 years, carrying on the ancient maker tradition. Reminding us of our agricultural roots and how beautiful things can come from a little seed. “Working with gourds is “having never-ending fun from a plant!”
Cyndee’s 3-Point Approach to figure gourds
Straightforward Rule #1: Everything Depends on the Gourd Shape Helping Me Tell a Story
First, Cyndee starts with the shape. She also keeps in mind that gourd shapes and surfaces are imperfect; she accepts that the results will not be perfect either.
“Gourd figures and animals gain interest and personality from the shape of the gourd – the twist of a tail, the tilt of the head or body. Turn the gourd upside down and look at it from different angles. Work the flaws, mold stains, and cracks into your design. A successful gourd art piece incorporates these natural features into the design. Don’t force a gourd into something it isn’t.”
Cyndee’s 3-Point Approach to figure gourds
Problem #1: Attaching a head to a gourd shape doesn’t mean just placing it at the top!
Let’s look at a few of her creative solutions to give us other options.
On this cat, you can see that the head is connected near the middle of a gourd, and then she uses another gourd with an odd shape to create the tail. Notice how the hat fits over the ears; it is also made from a gourd.
With the flute player, she has again connected the head on the side of the curve of the gourd, letting the top of the gourd become a hand.
Incidentally, look at the creative way she creates a hand holding the flute. In contrast, the other hand is drawn in place with the rattle glued to the gourd’s surface. These decisions all help keep the focus on the hand with the flute.
How Do you Add Arms and Hands?
Can you find where the head is attached to the body gourd? I expect she has cut a circle big enough for the curved head gourd to be fitted and glued into place this time. If the fit is imperfect, use air-dry clay around the outside edge and sand it before painting.
The other interesting detail here is how the witch’s arm was created. It looks like a rope with fingers created by untwisting the ends of the twine. Her method of creating the broom also looks like an easy idea! She purposely looks for natural elements for embellishments.
Again, Cyndee chooses a small gourd with a top that bends around the body and, in the end, becomes a hand.
Try to follow it with your eye until you see the space in the center where the hair is seen.
See how she again uses twine for the hair and broom. The head gourd is placed so the top of the gourd becomes the nose, which is a novel idea. The face indeed tells the story that her body is exaggerating!
Odd Shape Gourd Challenge
Our artist uses a manipulated gourd in this project. Creating an expressive figure from an odd shape is challenging with these gourds.
Cyndee stayed simple with her design. The colors are natural, and the odd-shaped head gourd is wood-burned with simple lines that expertly express the piece’s mood.
Notice the baby is created with wood burn lines and a simple expression, and he has no hands here. The faces on these simple gourds tell her story effectively.
The challenge of attaching a gourd head to a body made of another material
Cleverly, this piece presents a great way to create a body with an antler. What catches my attention is how the gourd bends over the antler, allowing the ends to become arms. Simple wood burning and embellishments enhance the design.
Here is another antler body. Please take a few seconds to look at the gourds Cyndee used here. Would you have kept them for a project?
Another idea where the body is made from another natural material. Here we have Indian corn and gourds as a head and acessories.
A Sence of Humor is always Helpful!
Finally, let’s look at one of my favorites. This gourd is used upside down.
Again, you can see the tip of the gourd as a hand with a brush inserted through it. And I love the little gourd nose and the details in the face and hair using simple wood-burning lines.
Experimenting Nurshers Creativity and Innovation
Cyndee wants each of her gourd art to tell a story.
“If I create a figure, I use the gourd’s shape to indicate movement and emotion. “
Essentially, that means looking at gourds from a different perspective. As one idea becomes successful, Cyndee then uses it again. Each problem solved with the right gourd shape helps her change how she looks at a gourd. And then, suddenly, Cyndee developed a style that gave her the confidence to experiment more with her gourd art.
Cyndee’s 3-Point Approach to figure gourds
Rule #1: Correct Details are Important to the story
Straightforward Rule #2: Keep the design relevant to the story and faithful to the gourd’s nature.
She also keeps in mind the goal of making the gourd design congruent. The shape of the gourd, the colors, embellishments, and all the design elements should be consistent. Often, she researches symbols or uses photos or real-life objects to check for important details such as eyes.
Cyndee’s 3-Point Approach to figure gourds
Rule #2: Color Should Always compliment the shape, not overwhelm it
The design should have depth, and the shadows should be subtle. It should not overpower the gourd. Using primarily translucent acrylic mediums allows the natural surface to share the story.
“I like earth tones and shapes and prefer the natural look of gourds. I try to incorporate the mold patterns of the gourd into the design, not cover it up. Gourds are the perfect medium for animal, nature, and spiritual themes.”
Rule #3: Finding just the right embellishment is crucial in figure-building
“My biggest challenge is probably finding the supplies. I get ideas, but then I can’t find the right gourd shape, or I can’t find the right materials or embellishments I want.”
I am determined to use gourds that are organically grown, colored with earth-friendly acrylic mediums, and embellished with natural and upcycled embellishments to create gourd art that is genuinely earthborn.
Going Beyond Gourd Figures
Not all of her work is figures, and her topic has changed over the years as her skills have advanced. Here are examples of her other work
Conclusion:
Three key ideas for creating a great piece of gourd art
Be creative with the shape of your gourd, respect the natural nature of the surface of the gourd, and seek to say something with your design. Stay true to these principles, and you will find success.
Cyndee would tell you, “Keep it simple. Know when to stop. Pay attention to the shape of the gourd. A successful gourd art piece incorporates the natural features of molting and flaws on the surface. Make sure each thing you add to the gourd enhances the story.
Cutting gourds and attaching gourds takes practice!
As a beginner, you must focus on preparing the gourd for art, learning how to cut a gourd accurately, and understanding the different ways to attach gourds.
These are the skills that make our creative ideas a reality. Learning to use the jigsaw and the wood-burning tool is not a quick lesson. You will throw gourds away! But stay with it and practice! Follow Cyndee’s rules and approach, and you won’t be disappointed. You will have mastered the fundamental part of the gourd art that you can elaborate on later with other new skills.
Gourd art is about processes and acquiring skills that make your ideas a work of art. Success is when you can stand in front of a table at an art show and see all your work simultaneously.
You see your growth and appreciate your accomplishments. And you begin to see your style emerge. If you would like to follow Cyndee, please visit her website.
What I haven’t talked about in this post is how you attach one gourd to another using clay products. The expert in that area is an artist from North Carolina, Cara Beven. If you “Friend” her on Facebook you will get access to her new blog that answers questions about her technique and the different ways she uses several clay products.
If you are a more advanced artists, take a look at the creative figures created by Pat Boyd. One of my favorite figure creators.
What tips have you learn to help make a gourd figure expressive and meaningful?
Please, share your thoughts here in the comment box or share them with all the gourd artists on our Facebook Group Page.
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