Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies will be provided
Supplies Provided by Student: None
Until our workshop schedule is set for 2008, here is a review of our
2007 Virginia Gourd Festival Classes
|
Harvest Caplet – Angela
Mohr -- Learn how to make a festive caplet to wear during harvest
events. You will learn how to select the flowers and gourd decorations
for a caplet, and with simple attachment strategies, be able to wear your
gourd celebration all day! The strategies learned can be applied
to other seasonal caplets as well. This class is an excellent time to try
some new techniques without investing in supplies you may not like.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies will be provided Supplies Provided by Student: None |
| From Vine to DeVine
– Kathy Kennedy Meyer -- Taught by a Master Gardener, this
class walks the path from growing to harvesting, drying, and then cleaning
hard-shell gourds. As a hands-on class, students will clean a dirty
gourd as preparation for other projects.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: Student hand-out and all gourd-cleaning supplies including disposable gloves and scrubber Supplies Provided by Student: Dirty gourd (can be purchased from instructor at a cost less than $5.00) Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 1 |
| Inks and Rim Trim –
Alice
Moore -- Students will apply and blend inks on gourds and add a rim
trim of pine needles, sea grass, or feathers – the choice is yours!
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies, including small pre-cut and cleaned gourd Supplies Provided by Student: Apron or cover-up to protect clothes Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 8 |
 |
Gourd Ornaments –
Gail
Smith --This class is designed for children ages 8 and up! Beginners
will create two ornaments using unconventional techniques. Students
also will learn to duplicate a picture (no drawing skills required.)
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All Supplies Provided by Student: Apron or cover-up to protect clothes Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 1 |
| Lunch with Byron – Byron
Williams -- Following a “cooking show” format, this class is designed
to provide students with an overview of working with gourds, from cleaning
the outside through a final finish coat. The instructor will have
a number of gourds a various stages of completion, and will perform the
required task using appropriate tools and techniques. Questions
will be entertained and answered throughout, and students will take away
a guarantee for unlimited number of free phone consultations for a year!
Lunch will be provided by the Market: country ham sandwich, chips, apple
pie, choice of water or soda.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: None Supplies Provided by Student: Notebook and writing instrument (notes will be encouraged!) Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 2 |
 |
Birdhouse Basics and
Beyond – Kathy Kennedy Meyer -- Gourds make excellent
birdhouses as well as great gifts for your bird-loving friends and family.
Learn the basics of creating a gourd birdhouse: cutting holes, finishing,
waterproofing, and hanging the gourd. Beyond the basics, you will
have fun making a “watermelon” (aka, disguised gourd) birdhouse suitable
for wrens or chickadees. The class uses cordless power hand tools
(with assistance provided as requested).
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies including the gourd (shapes will vary slightly), student hand-out, hanging materials, and all tools and supplies Supplies Provided by Student: Apron or cover-up to protect clothes Number of Students: Maximum 8, minimum 1 |
 |
Coiling with Sea grass
Rope -- Mary Hooks -- Students will learn the art of creating
a sea grass coil rim to stylishly top a gourd.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: Drilled gourd and sea grass rope Supplies Provided by Student: None Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 8 |
 |
Power Carved Celtic Horses
– Betsey Sloan -- Students will learn the ins and outs of
power carving using the intricate Celtic design. A steady hand and
willingness to learn will result in a gourd you will treasure.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: Gourd, pattern, two carvers (Optima available for loan but notify instructor in advance to reserve) Supplies Provided by Student: Mask, glasses, power carver (Optima, Dremel, or similar), small ball bits, extension cord Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 5 |
| The Creative Bone – Kathy
Kennedy Meyer -- What? Not a creative bone in your body?
Not so! You have it somewhere there! This is the class for
you. Learn guiding principles and practice hands-on exercises for
finding your creativity while having fun with gourds.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: Student hand-out, gourd, and all materials used during class Supplies Provided by Student: Enthusiasm and willingness to have fun Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 1 |
| Gourd Leaf Pin –
Mary Segreto -- Students will create a pin from a cutout gourd shard
in the shape of a leaf. We will sand a pre-cut piece of gourd and
use XXX-based ink dyes and fabulous metallic gel glazes. Take home
a completed project, perfect for the holidays.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies Supplies Provided by Student: Apron or cover-up to protect clothes recommended Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 4 |
| Lunch with Byron – Byron
Williams -- Following a “cooking show” format, this class is designed
to provide students with an overview of working with gourds, from cleaning
the outside through a final finish coat. The instructor will have
a number of gourds a various stages of completion, and will perform the
required task using appropriate tools and techniques. Questions
will be entertained and answered throughout, and students will take away
a guarantee for unlimited number of free phone consultations for a year!
Lunch will be provided by the Market: country ham sandwich, chips, apple
pie, choice of water or soda.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: None Supplies Provided by Student: Notebook and writing instrument (notes will be encouraged!) Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 2 |
 |
Chip Carving Class -
Garnell Stultz -- Learn to use u-shaped wood gouges to carve
geometric patterns onto the surface of a gourd. By chipping away bits of
gourd in a predetermined pattern, elaborate geometric designs occur.
This technique can be used on gourd birdhouses, bowls, and ornaments.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: Gourd, gouge, dye, leather and files Supplies Provided by Student: None (apron or cover-up recommended) Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 3 |
 |
Watermelon Basket Bird
Feeder – Kathy Kennedy Meyer -- Learn to create a unique gift for your
bird-loving friends and family – not to mention the appreciative birds!
You will cut holes, paint, waterproof, and hang the watermelon basket birdfeeder
(a gourd disguised as a watermelon).
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies, including the gourd (gourd shapes and sizes will vary). Assistance with using a mini-jigsaw is available. Supplies Provided by Student: None other than enthusiasm and willingness to have fun. An apron or cover-up is recommended. Number of Students: Maximum 8, minimum 1 |
 |
One Stroke Gourd – Janice
Kiehl -- Learn the technique of one stroke painting on a gourd bowl.
Students will practice painting one stroke rosebuds, lilacs, leaves and
vines on waxed paper before painting them on a cleaned and pre-painted
gourd bowl. Rim treatments will be discussed but not applied in this
class.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: One cleaned and pre-painted gourd bowl, paints, paint brushes, water basins, paper towels, Styrofoam plates, waxed paper Supplies Provided by Student: None (apron or cover-up recommended) Number of Students: Maximum 8, minimum 3 |
 |
Lined Gourd Bowl –
Angela
Mohr -- Students will learn how to rough gut a gourd bowl and line
it with a piece of cotton cloth using a double-sided running stitch and
finishing it with a leather strip. This is an especially nice way
to make something to present harvest bounty at the dinner table without
having to deal with gourd dust! All supplies will be
provided. Cloth provided will be plain cotton color or small print.
Supplies Provided by Instructor: All supplies will be provided. Cloth provided will be plain cotton color or small print. Supplies to be provided by Student: None required; however, if the student wants to supply own cloth, it should be a least 18” square. Number of Students: Maximum 10, minimum 3 |