Crafting is not an unusual hobby, but what about gourding? Artists and crafters have found ways to make gourds into works of art. In fact, they have even organized a society for gourd enthusiasts.

More than 4,000 members make up the 21 state chapters of the American Gourd Society. It was originally founded more than 70 years ago, but was renamed in 1970. That’s a lot of gourds.

“If you like to do crafts, if you like to paint, if you like to do anything with wood I would recommend it,” Dr. Mary Smith of Auburn, Ala. said. She is a member of the Alabama Gourd Society, founded in 2000, and a veterinarian by trade.

“I’ve always been a crafter somewhat more than an artist,” Smith said.

So how does one get involved in gourd arts and crafts? In Dr. Smith’s case, it was just happenchance. “I had no idea a group associated with gourds was around.” She discovered the group through one of Auburn University’s outreach programs where the craft was practiced on Sunday afternoons.

Smith began by growing loofah gourds. That’s right, those spongy things you use in the shower are actually gourds. Through the Alabama Gourd Society, she learned techniques and exchanged seeds with other members.

According to the ALGS website:
“The objective of the Alabama Gourd Society is to promote the culture and crafting of gourds; to provide informational and educational service to its members and the public in general; and to provide an Annual Gourd Festival for the promotion of gourds and gourd crafting.”

Smith has been experimenting with a variety of techniques to find her niche before she will consider selling them. Techniques include wood burning, painting, colored pencils and even Sharpies. The hardest and most time consuming part? Scooping out the inside.

“Some only take an hour [to decorate],” Smith said. “Picking the gourd, deciding what I want on it is what takes the longest.” Her most recent gourd took around 5 hours to complete. It is a long gourd with a kitten surrounded by flowers engraved on the side. The flowers are colored with Sharpies. Finishing the gourds, Smith prefers a high gloss sealant.

For some people, just the shape of the gourd determines what the design will be. In addition to etched gourds, Smith has also made bowls. They range in size from an egg to twice the size of a basketball and also vary in shapes and coloration. The coloring depends mostly on how long the gourd is allowed to ripen.

Not all of the gourds are decorative, however. For instance, one man in ALGS makes banjos and drums out of gourds.

If you would like to see some of these creations, consider attending the annual Alabama Gourd Show. Attendees can browse artists’ booths as well as purchase gourds for themselves. Dates and times can be found by contacting the ALGS through their website.


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