Terri Schmit at work in her studio.

I have always been a musician. My formal education is in music composition and classical performance. When I met up with my first gourd in 2003 my initial inclination was to use it as a musical instrument, and I did. Within months I was doing the first art I'd ever attempted, with a gourd as my canvas. Gourds have been my only canvas for art and in these past several years I have gone from simple to complex drawings, done weaving and coiling, carving, burning and pyrocarving, sculpting and more. What keeps me going is the music in each gourd, the challenge, and the miracle of what gourds offer. I am fascinated with the possibilities and am a slave to the gourd.

Images © Terri Schmit

In 2005 I founded the Wisconsin Gourd Society. Soon after, I began exhibiting in galleries: Overture Center Galleries, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Frehner Gallery in Monroe, WI, Longbranch Gallery in Mineral Point, Olbrich Botanical Gardens and at the Wisconsin Arts Board in Madison. In 2009 I was awarded the People's Choice award at the Art by the Stream Fine Arts Festival in Boscobel, WI.

I currently teach music at my private studio and gourd art throughout the Midwest. I still hear the music in every gourd.

I live in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin with my husband, Larry Haas, known as The Gourd Guy. It is through him that I became acquainted with gourds – he has been a gourd farmer for 20+ years and is the largest provider of clean hardshell gourds in Wisconsin. We are blessed with three dogs: Juju, Chester and Latimer, and our fearless cat, Kittyboohoo.

DEMONSTRATION: Friday, weather permitting - Carving Gourd Flowers; Saturday all day - Woodburning; Sunday all day - Making Gourd Masks

STUDIO ACCESS: Entry into the studio is via a catwalk directly off the driveway. Visitor parking is quite close; there are no steps.

2099 County Road E, Blue Mounds, WI 53517 | 608-437-1944
thegourdgirl@thegourdgirl.com | www.thegourdgirl.com