As a musician and composer, I have been given the gift of visual music. That is, when I hear sounds I see color. And so, my art sounds like my music. I dedicate my time and life to making good sights and sounds so that those with whom I'm fortunate enough to share can see what I hear. In 2003 I was given my first gourd and soon after made my first piece of visual art. Since then, I've found that regardless of whether I'm tapping the sight sense or the sound sense, it's all coming from the same place in my brain; I get the same satisfaction and hear the same things.

In 2005 I founded the Wisconsin Gourd Society. As President it has been my charter to encourage artists to try this new canvas, to educate the public on the use of gourds in art and music and to teach new artists techniques particularly unique
to art on gourds.

Because gourds come in various sizes and shapes, painting or creating sculptures with them offers a special challenge to even the most experienced artists. Painting or pyrography "in the round" requires a different way of looking at placing flat images (i.e., taken from photos) on a canvas. Creating sculptures takes some innovation to attach pieces, none of which are ever flat. Even simple coiling can be a challenge. I teach artists how to look at the canvas in a new light, to see and create the third dimension.

I am a self-taught gourd artisan. I tend to incorporate items found in nature: rocks, plant pods, natural dyes in most of my pieces. I teach gourd art at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, Play In the Mud Studios in Madison, offer monthly and one-on-one classes on our farm in Blue Mounds and lecture to garden clubs throughout the state on growing gourds in Wisconsin.

Terri will be demonstrating various coiling, carving and sculpting methods throughout the weekend.

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

Images © Terri Schmit