WELCOME

Nature has produced many beautiful mediums that are used in art. Hi, my name is Lori. The artwork you see is created from the gourd. Gourds grow on vines like pumpkins or cucumbers and can take up to 130 days to mature. Their size and shape is dependent upon which variety it is and the growing conditions. Historically, gourds have been used as containers, baskets, birdhouses and musical instruments. They were also used as clothing, hats and vessels.

The gourd has been described as one of nature's greatest gifts. Each piece I design is one of a kind and is created from the heart. The gourds I use are from local farms and individual growers and I must wait until they're dried before I can start my work. To begin a piece I clean it with a bleach solution and remove all the outside debris with a metal brush and a light touch. Some gourds are cut and cleaned, removing the interior which looks like that of a pumpkin. The next phase is to sand the outer surface with a fine grit sand paper. This is the stage I begin to design the piece. I then paint or hand dye the gourd using acrylics or leather dyes. Some designs include carving or engraving into the gourd. The final step is to seal it with polyurethane or simply leave a flat finish. I have great fun enhancing what nature created and hope you get pleasure from the piece you choose to put in your home or give as a gift.

Thank you.