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janmar_gw

Beyond Birdhouses: Marankas, snakes and more...

janmar
18 years ago

Hi Gourdeners, now that the harvest is coming in, it would be fun to see what you all are working on with last year's crop. Here are photos of some that I have been painting over the last few months. The 'teapot' is a large maranka with the handle made from stem end. The snakes? Well, my studio is swarming with them and they are all turning out a little different. What are you creating these days?


Maranka Teapot


Blue Snake


Cut Leaf Canteen


Red Snake


Maple Leaf Cannon Ball

Comments (10)

  • gourd_friends
    18 years ago

    Hi Janmar,
    I love your colors. What are you using? I just got a package of Prismacolor and haven't tried them yet.
    I'm one of those folks who gets stuck in a rut and needs a little nudge now and then. I had great sales last month and my inventory is really low. This is probably a good time to try some new things.
    Next thing I need to do is figure out how to get the photos out of the camera and onto the the gourd forum.

    Jan

  • kms4me
    18 years ago

    WOW! Those are fantastic! I've looked at a lot of gourd art on the net, and your creations are as good as anything I've seen.

    As Jan noted, your colors are beautiful.

    Thanks so much for posting pictures.

    Kate

  • janmar
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks, Jan and Kate. I am just using leather dye and gilders paste from Turtlefeathers with a bit of some metallic Lumieres thrown in here and there. Pogoduck sent me a photo posting link which is http://www.tinypic.com. I had a hard time figuring it out, but I am barely computer literate. Would love to see what you are working on these days! J

  • leslierose
    18 years ago

    Hi Janmar - your gourds are fantastic - they really should be in a gallery. The teapot concept is so original and I am wondering if you can repeat it with other gourds. Beautiful colours and everything so professionally done!!! - Leslierose

  • hklimsa
    18 years ago

    Very nice work, do you have some seeds to share it , check my list. and send me e-mail if you are interested. thanks

  • janmar
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Hi hklimsa, I would be happy to send you some maranka and cannonball seeds, but I do not cut the snakes so I don't have access to the seeds. I can't vouch for the product next year since these gourds are all field grown on a very large farm and there is likely to be cross-pollination. Anyway, if you are still interested, send me an email with your address. J

  • sowngrow (8a)
    18 years ago

    Wow-those are stunning. I haven't an artistic bone in my body however, I can grow just about anything. I especially like the 3rd one. Do you sell these? If so, email me. Thanks!
    Robin

  • gardenmadness
    18 years ago

    Wow!
    I have seen some very interesting gourd art but yours is outright phenomenal! Your coloring is so exquisite they could be raku pottery you baked in a kiln. Really exquisite.
    By any chance, do you have seeds you'd sell or trade? I only get ordinary gourds by me and never see these kinds and I would love to give them a try. I have a trade list if you'd like to see or I could buy them outright.
    Thanks and nice work,
    Lori

  • janmar
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Hi Robin and Lori, Thanks for the kind words. As I mentioned to hklimsa, I would be happy to send you seeds from the gourds I cut, but I can't vouch for their purity. Just send me an email with your address and I'll send you some of what I have. Robin, I'm going to set up a website, and I do sell my gourds but I don't have much production since I can only paint several days each week. J

  • pogoduck
    18 years ago

    OH! Those are beautiful! I love your color application. How do you get that effect? It's lovely. It looks like you've carved the natural markings on the snakes and used it as a boundary between some colors. I love what you've done! Thanks so much for posting.

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