Gourds as Folk Art
Gourds are one of the earliest crops
to be domesticated by man, having been grown for at least 10,000 years as
ornamentation or for making musical instruments and utensils. Normally they are
inedible due to a lack of flesh and/or bad taste, although some varieties such
as the snake gourd can be eaten in addition to utilitarian purposes.
Gourd folk art - art that is created
to decorate everyday utilitarian items (think of water cans, for
example) is an ancient tradition in Africa and Asia. It is also popular
within the indigenous people of the Americas and the central highland of people
of Peru. In Polynesia, where the volcanic and coral land lacks clay for pottery
and metal for manufacturing, the uses and artistry of the gourd reached an
advanced level.
In
some instances, gourds can be grown to take on specific shapes, such as a
square (this, of course, requires that the gourd grow inside a square
container).
Gourd
crafting and painting evolved from early hand carvings to the modern day use,
of electric wood burners and high-speed pen-shaped rotary tools that
can be used to inscribe almost any design. Because gourds can vary in shape and
size, the art that can be created on its hard shell surface can also
vary. So can the uses: ornaments, bowls, sculpture, vases, and wall art
such as masks. Artistic styles can range from craft to fine art.
Gourd Groups
Whether
it has been carved, painted, sanded, burned, dyed, and/or polished, a harvested
gourd generally dries over a period of several months before it can be
decorated.
Those
how are interested in gourd history can check out TheAmerican Gourd Society and the Canadian Gourd Society. These two
non-profit organizations are dedicated to educating and instructing others
about gourds. In addition more and more gourd art festivals are cropping up
across the country, and gourd decorating classes and workshops are gaining in
popularity.
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