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Selection
Each gourd is carefully chosen for shape and size from a specialty gourd farm in Ohio. The gourds grown in is area of southeastern Ohio seem to have a slightly thicker shell to them, possibly due to the long growing season and cooler nights in the Spring. The selection is an interesting part of the process - the gourds grow into their own unique forms, sometimes suggesting a particular design to accommodate the shape of the individual gourd.
Cleaning
The outside surface of the dried gourd is scrubbed and soaked repeatedly until completely cleaned, exposing the hard, wood-like exterior. The gourd is then hung to dry completely for a few weeks, then sanded to a glass like finish.
Design
The design is lightly sketched onto the gourd and an entry point is selected. Sometimes this will be the natural top of the gourd and the opening will be large enough for a hand to reach in through the opening for cleaning. With other gourds, the interior is cleaned through a nickel sized hole in a portion of the design that will be cut. On this type of carving, there is no opening at the top and long-handled tools must be used for the interior cleaning process after the design has been sketched onto the surface. After cleaning the inside of the gourd through the design, the rest of the piece is cut out, down to the smallest detail of branch, bird feather or leaf.
Color
Color is applied to the piece, then left to dry thoroughly. This portion of the process is repeated four times to ensure complete saturation and to help minimize the natural fading of color that occurs with age. Lastly, any highlighting with gold leaf or brightener shades are carefully applied.
Finishing
Lastly, the piece is buffed to a lustrous finish. This is a very delicate process. The gourd, at this stage has been cut with the finest of lines and has been meticulously crafted. The design is quite delicate, especially the ones with thin branches. Buffing a finished piece can be a hazardous endeavor with such a lightweight piece of artwork. More than one carving has been finished to this stage and then been broken by over-vigorous application of the buffing compound.
Finally, a thin layer UV Protectant mist is sprayed on the entire surface of the gourd for long-term protection. After thoroughly drying, a second and third coat are applied. The piece is photographed, tagged, priced and loaded onto the website.
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