Here are some highlights from the 2005 Gourd
Art Festival at the Welburn Gourd Farm!
Thursday - Friday, June 23rd & 24th: Almost
200 people participated in the incredible line up of Gourd Art
Classes that took place before the festival!
A student applies leather dye to
his gourd in Pam Redhawk's
woodburning
class.
Don Weeke's "Gourd
Basketry" class always
seems to make people smile!
A students gets creative
using a woodburner to
apply an eye-catching pattern to a gourd.
A student in Kathy Riker's
"Spirit Doll" class shows off her
finished product!
(see caption, left)
Only thick-shelled, Welburn gourds
stand up to the task in Bonnie Gibson's
"Advanced Power Carving" class!
Interested in taking part in gourd art classes
offered at the next festival? Be sure to sign the Gourd Festival mailing
list!
Welcome
to the main event...
People began lining up at the Gourd Festival
entrance gate almost 2 hours before
opening time!
Inside the gate, everyone
had the
chance to enter
the drawing for
this
incredible gourd by Kristy
Dial.
...and the winner is
Jennifer Gomez of Temecula, CA!
Congratulations Jennifer!
Inside the festival grounds, thousands of people enjoyed
browsing the exhibitor booths and meeting the artists.
From shopping for art...
..to shopping for gourd tools and supplies, gourd lovers
were in 'Gourd heaven' at the festival!
"My
first time ever at a gourd festival... Absolutely blew me a
way. I had so much fun...
I hope I can make it again next year
and I should have bought more gourds."
-
Caroll Loomis, Toledo,
OR
The Gourd Art Competition,
put on by CGS, was a
huge attraction!
The competition included this
incredible piece by Diane Piccola
from Vista, CA,..
...and this beautiful piece by Catherine
Devine, from London, Ontario Canada.
The new Gourd Crafting Arena was a huge success, thanks to
Carol Rookstool, Leigh Adams, and generous CGS volunteers
and vendors (who donated tools and supplies)!
Rachel Cunningham
concentrates
on
her gourd project.
Live entertainment featuring
gourd instruments was enjoyed
throughout both festival days.
Did you get hooked on gourds in the Gourd Crafting
Arena? Want the opportunity to learn more? Become a member of
the California Gourd Society and get in on the gourd fun! Click
here.
Dianne Connelly's tall, dramatic gourd pieces with pine
needle accents were a huge hit at this year's festival!
Carved gourd by festival
exhibitor,
Guojun Zhang.
Is it true you turn into a gourd if
your gourd addiction gets too extreme?
Members of the Sequoia gourd group
show off their beautiful work.
Pamala Redhawk's exquisitely
painted and woodburned gourds
captivated festival-goers.
Fine-crafted gourd vessels by
Sally Rosenberg.
Professional, well-designed booth set-ups like Barbara
Campbell's were a major part of making the show a success!
Traditional Hawaiian-Polynesian masks, ipu drums, and ipu
heke drums by
Mike and Carol Wong.
Fine gourd art by award-winning
artist, Jan Seeger.
Phoebe Welburn (left)
and
Jan Seeger (right) demonstrate
their favorite part of the festival-- spending time with
friends!
The weather was perfect, and the grove
of ancient California Oak trees provided
the perfect back-drop for the event!
The most mesmerizing aspect of
gourds is the emmense variety --
its impossible to choose just one!
When the choice came down to
the baby or the gourds...she
chose the gourds!
(no, not really, but she was
very excited about gourds!)
...Speaking of being excited about gourds, CGS president, Leigh Adams,
has enthusiasm about gourds that has actually been proven to be contagious.
One of Welburn's long-time customers, Anne Blankenship,
can't resist the bins piled high with gourds (even though
she undoubtedly has tons at home already!).
Sometimes, one wheelbarrow
just isn't enough.
Doug Welburn, Phoebe Welburn, and
Laura (Welburn) Cunningham -- your
hard-working Festival Organizers!
Missing from the photo is Danny Barajas, who did all
the work coordinating the gourd art classes and put in
many long hours to make the festival happen!
Special thanks to the Garnsey family for all
of their help and support. Most of all, thank you to you, the
festival attendee, for coming out to enjoy the show!
We think this picture sums up
the festival perfectly.
Have you attended past gourd festivals? We would love to hear your comments! Click here.
