Find out the 3 things you should look for when choosing a gourd for art. Picking the right gourd makes all the difference!
Gourds are grown all over the planet.
Hard-shells are the gourds of history, used as containers, tools and musical instruments from the dawn of history right up through today. Their hard, durable shells gave them many a uses. They were the homegrown household china, crystal, and Tupperware of our cave-dwelling ancestors.
Today many people grow them in backyards on the ground or on a trellis or even a fence!
Some even try to tie them into a knot!
Others put molds around them to change their shapes.
These gourds are called “manipulated “gourds and are always more expensive.
Most gourd artists find their next art treasure at gourd farms across the country. They are separated into bins by shape to help picking the right gourd easier for you.
How do you find one in your area?
Start by researching for a State Gourd Society. You can contact them or perhaps they will mention one on their web page.
They are several farms in the U.S. that will mail gourds anywhere in the world. My sources here in Arizona and the west coast is the Welburn Farm in California and the Wuertz Farm in Arizona. Both have websites with prices.
When you buy gourds at a farm they are priced by the diameter. Sometimes they have a board full of holes and you place the gourd in the hole to determine its price.
Buy them Dirty or Clean?
If you have ever cleaned a gourd you will not have to think about this question. Buy the clean ones. A little more expensive, but this will save you time. Although you will still have to clean it better if you are going to turn it into art.
When picking the right gourd there are 3 important things to look for….
1.Does it sits solidly on the ground? You want to void finding a stand or making legs.
2. Examine all cracks.
Some can be repaired, but look for the perfect one!
3.Does the surface feels smooth and where are the bad areas?
Will they be away from the art area?
There are ways to fix all these problems so do not chisel these rules in stone!
Only after the practice of holding a gourd will you be able to know what the thickness of the gourd is. Carvers learn how to gauge this first. But for beginners, just stay away from the gourds that look like they have a brittle thin skin.
Do not forget to buy some broken ones!
Besides just picking the right gourd for art, you will need to buy big cracked one too. When you get the cracked and big broken gourds home then the fun begins! Take each one and place it on a bench, throw a bath towel over it, and strike it with a hammer. This will break it into pieces.
These pieces we call shards, and they will be invaluable as you learn all the skills and gourd processes. I taught several beginning wood burning on gourd classes at festivals and I can’t tell you how many students would contact me and ask where they could buy shards? You cannot, you have to make them!
If you are going to learn wood burning, then you will need several small shards. I always sand the corners and the edges, so they are comfortable to hold in my hand.
It never hurts to ask the farmer if he has any broken gourds he may be burning or destroying. Sometimes if you buy several good ones, he will throw the cracked ones in for free.
Finding the one in a million
Here is a picture of the most popular gourd for gourd art. What kind of gourd is it?
Picking the right gourd for art means you will need to know vocabulary.
There must be as many shapes of gourds as people. But we have tried to get a handle on it by creating categories.
When you go to the farm, they are going to ask, “What kind of a gourd are you looking for?”
I have created for you a 10-page e-book with a picture dictionary of 20 gourds that are great for gourd art so, you will have an educated answer!
I have included some old charts that are floating around the web to give you a general idea of the categories. It also includes some cleaning instructions.
This should help our new artists. I am going to give it to you for free when you sign-up for my “gourd buddy” email list.
There is more information about the list on the “About the Site” page. You can sign-up now or anytime down on the footer.
Here are some videos to help you feel more comfortable at a gourd farm.
- Waylon’s Wuertz tour of the Gourd Farm ~ Miriam Joy Video Production
Popular questions about the Wuertz Farm
Names & Varieties of Gourds ~ Featuring Waylon Wuertz & Miriam Joy
In the comment box below ,let me know where you buy gourds or join our Facebook Group Page and talk to other gourd artist with ideas and questions about this post.
Return to the Blog page for other articles.
I live in upstate NY. I buy gourds from Amish farmers in PA (Smuckers & Beilers) or by mail from Wuertz. When I travel to shows I will buy from their local growers like Pumpkin Hollow & Ghost Creek Gourds.
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