Washington State Gourd Society

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We are the Mu Chapter of the American Gourd Society

The Gourdistry of Shawna Stout

I am a wife, mother of two, BeautiControl Consultant, Real-Estate Consultant , Active with the schools and my church…I am also an artist. You could say I am busy. However, I always seem to find time to do art! I believe doing art is the best therapy I could ever experience.

All my life I have been doing some type of art, using all different types of mediums and types of canvases. I have several awards from different shows that I have participated in the fine arts arena.

My Aunt Norma from Idaho got me interested in gourds. She had entered the ‘Artistry in Wood’ wood carvers show held in Monroe, WA a few years ago with one of her awesome gourds. She is an awesome artist and has been a great inspiration to me throughout my life. So, when I came across a green gourd at a farm, I bought it and let it dry in my garage. It sat for a couple years. My parents had also brought me a small bag full of cured gourds my aunt gave them for me, and they sat for years also!

My parents, Barbara and Wade Faries are very active in their wood carver club, Quilceda Carvers. When the Q. Carvers had a show at the Senior Center in Marysville, understanding my affection for art and the desire I had to do something with my gourds that we now accumulating dust in my garage. My parent called me to let me know that the Gourd Class had a bunch of gourds on show in the next room and that I should come down and check them out. I did. I was so inspired by what these artist had done to these ‘fruits’, that I went home, did some research on cleaning and safety (I have allergies to molds and dusts, I had been warned, so I was cautious). My mother let me use her wood burner and before I knew it, I had created my first piece of gourd art. I had 2 pieces completed before I attended my first class at the Senior Center a week later.

That was November, to date I have created over 30 pieces of art using gourds. I entered 8 gourds in the ‘Artistry in Wood’ show in Monroe this year in the Novice level. I received 9 awards! One of them was Best of Division! I was very excited! I am now selling my work at local artisan shows.

This little addiction I have acquired, well I love it! I believe that this ‘fruit’ will keep me inspired for years to come.

Shawna Stout – gourd addict

Marysville, WA

www.picturetrail.com/artbyshawna

shawna.stout@comcast.net