Garden Update: Wow! It’s already nearing the end of July, it’s still raining all the time, and the garden is behind schedule. The zucchini and summer squash are beginning to multiple quickly but most everything else needs more time in the sun. Most plants are taking advantage of the warm and wet conditions and filling out nicely, but some, like the green beans and peppers look stunted. I think I will be able to gather just enough variety to go to my first farmers market tomorrow. I have to get rid of these zukes and squash somehow!
Art Focus – Decorating Gourds: As mentioned in my first blog post the garden takes up most of my days during the summer, leaving me little time to devote to making art. Recently, however, I’ve found a little time to get back to painting birdhouse gourds, so this post will actually be the first one concerning art rather than the garden.
I was excited to take advantage of the new workspace in my garden shed, so when the countertop wasn’t needed for potting and transplanting anymore, I cleaned it off and got out my paints and brushes. Before the fun painting part can begin though, the gourd has to be cleaned. A gourd that has been dried out after harvest (at least six months) can be pretty yucky looking. The easiest way to clean it up, I have found, is by soaking it for several hours. This loosens the dried on outer skin, which then comes off pretty easily with a scrubby sponge. After using some elbow grease you have a nice smooth wood-like surface to work on.
My family started growing various types of birdhouse gourds about fifteen years ago, ranging in shape from apples to swans. Even though I have used many of them over the years there are still several piles in the shed. This last summer I grew snake gourds….not a very appealing shape to some. Maybe they will look more attractive once painted in a way that has nothing to do with snakes.
People use and decorate gourds in all sorts of ways. I once saw a flat pumpkin-shaped one made into a backpack. I prefer to stick with the basics by either painting or wood-burning designs into them. Over the years my surface decoration hasn’t varied too greatly. Early on I mostly painted a branch and leaf design. Now my favorite decoration is a simplified version of rosemaling, which is a traditional Norwegian decorative painting technique. I was even able to teach myself how to make the curling lines with a wood-burning tool. I find that the dark burnt lines complement the natural brown tones of the gourd very nicely.
When finished with the design I seal the entire gourd with a coat of varnish, wood stain, or waxy shoe polish. These bring out the warm wood tones of the gourd yet allow the paint colors or burned lines to show through. These sealants will preserve the gourd for many years if hanging outside as a birdhouse, and indefinitely if used for an indoor decoration.
If you are interested in purchasing one of my gourds you can see the current collection in a recent post on my Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/scwatercolors. Once there click on the pictures and each gourd is assigned a number. Contact me for availability and prices.