I have been a basket maker for twenty years. The basketry technique I love most is coiling. When I was introduced to hard shell gourds ten years ago, I knew I had to use my coiling art on these great gifts of nature.
Beginning with the gourd as my foundation, I use coiling to build something new. I create a structure that combines gourd and fiber, thus enhancing or altering the gourd's original shape. To accomplish this I wrap waxed linen thread around a fiber core, attaching row upon row to the gourd. Color is added using leather dye. The piece is preserved with a protective coating. Some gourds are covered with handmade paper.
I love the entire process used to create my pieces. It begins with studying a gourd in its natural state, deciding how it should be cut and built upon, and then transforming it into a three-dimensional art form.
A life-long fascination with shapes and textures in nature, as well as ceramics, woodturning, and fiber arts, keeps me motivated to explore and create.
abreu@mcn.org
www.mendocinoartists.com