Welcome
to a treasure trove of finely crafted collectibles, designed by award
winning Caribbean gourd artist Andrea Jansen.
|
||||||||
 "Her World" |
What
makes my gourd art different
from other gourd art? Let's face it...there are a lot of gourd artists out there, and more and more people are discovering this art form, both as creators and collectors. So what makes mine different? My partner Ken and I were discussing this recently and he said, "You paint on the inside, ad nauseam." Thanks. But his point was well taken, so I decided to show a few photos for you to see for yourself. Please read on. |
|||||||
|
First
thing to keep in mind is the type of gourd I use, which here in
Puerto Rico grows on trees. Unlike the more familiar vine-grown
gourds, these calabash are relatively thin, leading many people
to think they are like fragile eggshells.
Not true!
Once dried, they are hard and dense like a hardwood.
Although I wouldn't recommend throwing them down on the ground,
they are surprisingly strong. Trust me, my 'studio' is also our
home, a 33-foot boat which Ken and I share
with Czar, our 75- pound Collie, whose tail
has caused a few of my works-in-progress to hit the deck, literally.
(see the Artist
page for more).
|
 The higüera grows in a multitude of sizes and shapes. Click on photo for more info. |
|
Secondly
is that I paint the inside
of the gourd as well as the outside. Now this may not sound particularly
noteworthy, until you stop to consider one point. If you take
a look at a vine grown gourd, the inside is very porous. Although
painting is indeed possible and often done, you
won't normally see more than basic color applied. Higüeras,
with their dense shells, are perfect for painting, inside and
out. Two layers of skin from the inside must first be removed
to insure the paint adheres, otherwise over time the skin would
flake off, taking my artwork with it! This is not usually done,
even by other artists here in Puerto Rico, mostly because it is
such tough work, but for some strange reason there is something
in my personality which compels me to meticulously paint every
square inch of the surface. I cannot leave an area plain...it
just doesn't seem right to me. Ken asked me once, "How come
you have so much patience for your detail work on gourds but not
for me?" My answer? "The
gourds don't talk back!" Click
on photos for larger views.
|
|
