'The art of the gourd'
Devin Heilman | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years AGO
<p>Steve Ruppel and Susan Harding paint gourds in a beginning gourd art class in the NIC Student Union Building on Saturday afternoon. The class is hosted by the American Indian Student Alliance Club of North Idaho and taught by Sarai Mays.</p>
<p>Susan Harding paints the outside of her gourd during a beginning gourd art class at NIC on Saturday afternoon. The class is the first of three taught by local artist Sarai Mays that will teach various techniques of gourd art.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - It's pretty amazing what a person can create with a gourd - dolls, sculptures, musical instruments, painted masterpieces.
Just ask artist and gourd expert Sarai Mays, who is providing gourd art classes at North Idaho College this fall and winter.
The first class of "The Art of the Gourd" was held Saturday in the lower level of the Edminster Student Union Building, where a handful of aspiring gourd artists learned the basics of the unique craft.
"They're the only plant that's been recognized as being around the world clear back into prehistoric times," said Mays, of Rathdrum. "The only one. They've found evidence of seeds dating back to 7000 B.C. It's used for so many things."
Colorful beads, feathers, paints, wire, string, dyes, "how-to" books and other materials were provided for the gourd art students as they let their imaginations soar and customized their creations, which began with plain, dried Chinese bottle gourds from Arizona.
Susan Harding of Coeur d'Alene delicately threaded a waxed string through holes she drilled into the top of her gourd. She wound the string around long, thick Georgia pine needles.
"A few years ago, I bought a plain gourd, thinking, 'Oh, I love that gourd art, I'm going to buy one,' but I got intimidated starting and not knowing how to do it," she said. "I was thrilled when I met Sarai and found out she was doing a gourd class."
Harding said gourd art takes patience and an understanding that mistakes aren't necessarily all bad.
"Look at them like they're not mistakes," she said. "They're all so irregular, it's really a good metaphor for life."
The gourd art classes are sponsored by NIC's American Indian Student Alliance Club. The club's adviser, Evanlene Melting Tallow, said this is just the beginning of more culturally artistic classes to come.
"Where else are you going to walk away with something this beautiful?" she asked.
Melting Tallow said Mays is a fantastic artist. Mays has been teaching gourd art for about 20 years.
"You might start out with something in your head," Mays said. "It's hard to make a set plan. They come out who they're supposed to be."
The intermediate gourd art class, which will include gourd burning and carving, will be Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a gourd antler basket class from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 13. Class size is limited, so organizers encourage participants to prepay to hold their space. The classes are $40, or $20 for students.
For information, contact Mays at 610-5499 or Melting Tallow at 769-3365.