wood burning

Creativity After Christmas
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Creativity After Christmas

While working on my next big piece, I’ve been contemplating the art I’ve made during January in the past few years. Not only did I find that the pieces were some of my best, but three of the past four have won an award of some sort! 

2014 – Date Night (formerly Colored Pear Illuminated) – 1st gourd lamp, won 3rd place in sculpture at 2014 Celebration of the Arts

2015 – Teddy’s Balloon – made for my little man – 1st place in Gourd Magazine Spring 2017 Craft contest (resulting in featured artist for Summer issue)

2016 – Ascension – Honorable Mention at 2016 Artworks Members Only show

2017 – Dream – My largest piece to date – sold during my first setup at the Kentucky Crafted Market

Stay tuned for this year’s creation 😁

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Gourd Pen Holders

My newest item… Gourd Pen Holders! These fun little pieces incorporate my love and fascination with unique rocks, with my love of gourd art. Using hand-picked unique conglomerate creek rocks as bases, and a hand-drawn gourd mini bowl, decorated with pyrography and nail polish (just like my ornaments and bottle stoppers). Each one is promised to be truly unique and original. 

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Ascension (2016)

Ascension (2016) (9″ x 9″)  Hand drawn over Christmas break (2015) and completed in January 2016.  This gourd features various patterns, ascending upwards with contrasting designs and divergent directions, symbolizing the varying paths I’ve taken while growing my skill and ability with gourd art.  Embellished with pyrography, cutting, and carving.

This piece has been in two juried shows, while being awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Artworks Members’ Juried Show (sponsored by the great Cheree Federico Photography).

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Gourdaments 2015

It’s beginning to be that time of the year! Well, at least for artist and crafts people. I’ve begun creating my little gourdaments (gourd ornaments) and thought I’d give you a peek. Each gourdament is hand drawn on a personally grown egg gourd, decorate with pyrography (wood burning) and a little color added with nail polish (yep, nail polish). After each is completed, I dip them twice in UV-Resistant wood finish to ensure a great, long lasting protection. Each is about the size of a store-bought large chicken egg, but they do vary somewhat.

The designs are all unique, with various symmetrical patterns working together to create a one of a kind treasure for the holidays.

Gourdaments can be custom ordered and personalized. If you like a certain style that you see me post, I can either recreate with your desired colors and personalization, or create a unique version similar to that. Just let me know.

I hope you enjoy 🙂

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Gourdaments 2015

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Gourdaments 2015

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Gourdaments 2015

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Gourdaments 2015

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Gourdaments 2015

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Custom Gourd Lamps

While most of my work can be custom ordered anyways, the Sanders Lamp is a good example of a custom gourd lamp with a family name, word, or whatever your mind can come up with. Most of the time I’ll have the center piece, accompanied by symmetrical designs encompassing the remainder of the piece, sometimes with color and sometimes without. The bases are made from recycled trees, currently I’m using a maple tree that had to be removed from my yard. The lights are typically a candelabra base (think night light) that sits in a hole in the center of the base.

If you’d like to order one, just let me know. They are fully customizable and able to be personalized. Prices depend on size and amount of detail, so prices can are able to match needed budgets. Feel free to look at pictures of previous lamps I’ve created for inspiration.

Thank you 🙂

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Teddy’s Balloon

Introducing Teddy’s Balloon. This piece means a lot to me, and is one of the few pieces that I will never part with. This gourd lamp is named for, and made for, a very special someone. Don’t worry, I’ll talk more about him later. This lamp will hang over a glider in his room.

This hot air balloon inspired gourd lamp is made of two gourds, one for the balloon and basket, the other for the tiny bear riding along. The balloon hangs, with the support of the lighting cord, which includes a standard size light bulb for beautiful night light views.

🙂

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Merlin Gillock

It’s time to meet Merlin!

Back in September 2014, a gentleman came into the gallery wondering what could be made out of a 4 foot slab of walnut, that was almost firewood. After explaining pyrography, he was intrigued. He mentioned that him and his wife like wizards. Since I can’t really draw people, I thought of collaborating with the great painter, Nick Mantlo-Coots. After I sanded and prepared the wood, Nick designed and drew Merlin. I then burned all of the features, and eventually finished him.

Merlin will be hanging out at Gallery 916 until March 21st. Go say hello 🙂

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Olive Bushel gourd basket

Here’s a look at the 1st gourd completed in 2015, Olive Bushel.

Featuring four olive branch-inspired handles reaching out from under the
basket to come together peacefully above it all. The four branches also encompass patchwork-inspired patterns created with pyrography and cut-outs.

Enjoy 🙂

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Olive Bushel - 2015

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Floral from Fire

Introducing Floral from Fire, my first hangable gourd art piece. This flowery creation was born from a need to create a piece that could hang, rather than sit like most of my other items, for Artworks “Dually Exposed show” at the Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green, KY. I was partnered with a great photographer, Howard Margolis. Our showcase featured Mr. Margolis’ floral photo, and my pyrography gourd interpretation.

I hope you enjoy 🙂

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Colossus

This is “Colossus”. Created November 2014. Named for the size of the piece and the columns that are integrated into the design, which are reminiscent of Greek or roman architecture. This gourd bowl is topped with a natural leaf inspired lid, because nature is above all my inspiration. With a little deeper meaning to the name as well, this piece is a “thank you” to my wife, who has been a colossal inspiration to my artistic ability, and the one that introduced pyrography into my life.

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