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The Fairy Gourd Mother
Janet's work can be seen at The Studio Gallery, La Quinta Resort, the Indian Arts Center in Old Town San Diego, and at Native Designs on El Paseo Dr. in Palm Desert.
Janet is offering adult and children's gourd classes in July.
Adult 3 hour classes are $40, and includes the gourd and all materials. Class includes cleaning, cutting, leather dying, and pine needle coiling. In class you will complete your own bird house, or coiled bowl to take home. Class dates are Saturday, July 23rd, Saturday, July 30th, and Saturday August 13th. All classes are from 1 tp 4pm. To register email Janet. |
Janet resides in Escondido, near San Diego where she grows her own gourds on 1 1/2 acres of land.
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The gourds grow for about 6 months and then are cut and dried in the field. Gourds are about 90% water and drying times vary from a month to a year.
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Gourds were first used in Africa about 10,000 years ago as fishing net floats. By 7,000 BC, they reached Central Mexico where they were used as water bottles and eating utensils. Later they were used as masks, ladles, dippers, funnels, bowls, drums, rattles and bird houses. Today they are used for many of these same purposes.
