2020 Classes

Do you have 2020 vision?  haha, couldn't resist that one!  This year, I am only teaching at the PA Gourd Gathering, but I may teach a few private classes intermittently throughout the year. 
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This year I have 2 brand new classes, and 2 updated classes. Check them out below, and be sure to scroll all the way down for more info and a link to register.

Gourding for Newbies______________

This class is one of the "updated" versions.  Last year my good gourd friend Crystal Lemmon and I teamed up to teach a couple of all day "Newbie" gourd classes.  This was to run through all the basics of gourd craft and give students an opportunity to learn how to choose a quality gourd for crafting, how to cut, clean (safely!) carve, burn, coil the rim, and finish the gourd with color.  It also was a great time to ask us questions about any other technique we may not have covered in the class, the students all loved the class so much that we decided to offer it again this year.

​This year's project is slightly different, but the concept is the same.  We will cover most of the same techniques but will be doing seagrass coiling, and powdered pigments along with chip carving, cutting and finishing. We will also have some tools available to borrow if you do not have any.  If getting started gourds interests you, this is a perfect time to get all your questions answered by two seasoned gourders with combined 40 years experience!

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Garden Jewels_______________

This class we will be using our pyrography tools (you must bring your own tool) to burn a little hummingbird and bee balm flowers on a small uncut gourd.  Then we will be using a technique with colored pencils to overlay some subtle color in a way that does not cover all that hard work you did with the burner!
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Sandpiper Parade_______________

In this class, we will be burning in cute little sandpipers wading in the water- you can use the same pattern to add as many birds as you like.  This gourd actually has 3 around it but the photo can also show one side.  All the detail and shading on the birds are done with the pyrography tool. The water is done with paints and I will show you how to layer and play with the colors to give dimension and sparkle to the water ripples at their feet.  

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Hawk Feathers Bowl____________

Here is another "updated" class.  I taught this one last year at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.  It is a great class for people brand new to burning on gourds.  The changes I made to this class was adding more shading in the feather and adding a metallic border at the center line.  This class is another that you can customize, if you want to add and overlap more feather you can do so to make it really "your own"!

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To be honest, I think the PA Gourd Gathering has the BEST variety of classes for all levels of gourders, but maybe I am just biased!  But I truly do believe that we are a group blessed by having many talented teachers in our midst.  Class registration begins April 1, but you can go to the website to get a sneak peek of the classes being offered now.  Click here for a link for all you need to know to visit and register!