Alabama Craft Guild

"Originally from West Tennessee, I graduated from American University in Washington, DC in 1967 with an art education degree and taught art at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia for one year.

"Though working at other jobs, including 14 years with Walt Disney World as a convention/group, sales/service rep, I always made use of art skills on the job or off and chose to pursue art full time after my daughters were grown.

"Painting was always my main medium until I discovered gourds about twelve years ago. I've always loved wood and design, and became hooked on gourds. Most of my designs are wood burned, and for colors I use acrylics, waxes, ink dyes, egg dyes, or colored pencil. I prefer opaques so that the gourd texture remains visible.

"Nature provides the best models to use in creating patterns. Wildflowers look simple, but actually contain complicated, interesting designs that can be used to create a multitude of interpretation. My husband provides me with pretty moths and bugs, and Native American designs inspire my work as well. An overactive imagination finds potential gourd designs everywhere. I also like to add honeysuckle vines, wood, shells, and weavings.

"I like working with gourds because you can do so many things to them and with them. They are functional as well as beautiful. It is a pleasure when people enjoy them as much as I do. I've been fortunate to have won many awards around the state for my artwork.

"I totally agree with the gourd artist, Corrine, in Cassandra King's 'Same Sweet Girls' when she states, 'If the ugly, hard-shell gourds, brown and moldy after they dried, could be made into something beautiful, I decided, then art really was miraculous.'"