2020 The Texas

Gourdzette

VOL 26, ISSUE 1, JANUARY 2020

BOB RICHIE

Happy New Year

If there is something you have

always wanted to do with a gourd,

this is a good year to do is.

Inside this issue:

Patch News

A visit to Wuertz

Gourd Farm

2020 Gourd Festival

Reminders

I begin this year with a lot of excitement and anticipation for the Lone Star Gourd

Show in our old/new venue back at the Fair Grounds in Fredericksburg. Even though

it is months away, we are already busy making plans and decisions that will make this

one of the best shows we have had in years. It will be here before you know it. The

Call for teachers is already on the website and has been there for a couple of months.

Some great teachers have already signed up. You will be happy to know that Bonnie

Gibson will be with us again. What a treat that is. Other new teachers will be there as

well as some of the best teachers from the past. There will be a lot of great classes to

choose from.

Also, the Vendor Application is on the website and the booths are beginning to fill up.

There is a new lower price this year as well a larger booth size. The show and vendor

chair, Becky Klix has already been to the site beginning to lay it out. Now is a great

time for you to get a booth and sell some of your great art or supplies. Don’t miss this

opportunity.

If you have not paid you dues to TGS and AGS yet, it is very important you get that

done now. We need you all and your membership fee helps us do the things we need

to do. You can pay both of this on the website using PayPal. I would also ask you to

invite others that have not become members to join us. The reality is that our

membership has gone down over the past two years, and we must get it moving the

other way. I know you will do your part.

MESSAGE FROM THE

PRESIDENT

Also, the competition information is on the website. A please go there and make plans

for your entries.

My hope for you this year is a great, creative year with your gourd art

So, keep those gourd projects coming, and watch for updates on your email as they become reality. Until then…David Cleaveland, President **************************************** PATCH NEWS

Arlington Gourd Patch meetings from July to October of 2019 included

viewing Nancy W's Huichol technique, Cindy L's gourd seed masks,

Nancy's transferring a photo to a gourd piece, Nancy's shading and

blending technique using oil stencil sticks, and Susan A's use of a

snake skin shed with alcohol ink to create texture on a gourd.

When October 2019 came along, we decided to start a two part copper

wire project that would extend into January 2020. Georgia C led the

project. She gave a lesson on how to recognize different gauges of

copper wire, and we made a chart to help us remember.

Once we learned the techniques for coiling the wire and using the

tools required for the project, we created small pieces that will be

applied to a gourd shard for our January workshop.

Susan A got into the spirit quickly as she created a gourd dancing

doll using some of the techniques we learned. Her doll was one of the

gifts at the November early Christmas party

November was our last meeting for 2019. We met for a pot luck

luncheon and gift exchange. Each year, this meeting is fun, and

everyone gets a chance to show off their talents with the gifts they

bring.

January 2020 will begin with part 2 of our wire workshop. Here is the

gourd Georgia is working on. It will be finished with patination in

January

No doubt there will be several creative pieces to show in the next

issue of the Gourdzette.

Arlington Gourd Patch con’d

The Coastal Bend patch has not met much the last quarter. Between the flu, my

husband having shoulder surgery and mom falling again, things have been hectic.

Hopefully, next couple of months will be better.

Shelia

If Oren can drive, it sounds like he needs to go to the store , pick up a package of

cookies, and get Shelia a latte. Ed.

Guadalupe Gourd Patch

Using the old saying, fun was had by all at the November meeting playing with

Alcohol dyes and inks. We played with canned air to move around the dyes and

inks. It will be interesting to see new creations using this technique.

In December we had our annual Christmas Party with lots of great food. The

highlight was the ornament exchange. Everyone left with a beautiful gourd ornament.

At the January meeting Becky Klix demonstrated how to make colorful cabochons

with clear glass stones and nail polish. We all got to make at least 4 or 5

cabochons. We, also, looked ahead at what projects we wanted to do at future

meetings. For February we will be exploring the use of eyeshadow and other pigment

powders on gourds. Also, discussed was planning our entries for Competition and

donations to the Ways and Means Booth.

If anyone is interested in joining us, please contact Judy Richie

at judyrichie@yahoo.com.

There were no other patch reports for this quarter.

Book Your Place to Stay in Fredericksburg

If you are planning on going to the Lone Star Gourd Festival next October, make your

reservations as soon as you can. I know, that’s months away, but Fredericksburg’s

October Fest begins the weekend of our festival. If the rates in Fredericksburg scares

you, don’t forget that Kerrville is only 20 minutes away with better rooms rates. If

you have a group of friends coming with you, check out the hundreds of B&B houses

and cabins.

Fredericksburg Visitor Center – www.visitfredericksburgtx.com Kerrville –

www.Kerrvilletexascvb.com

2020 Lone Star Gourd Festival Competition

Yes, I know, you have over 8 months until the festival. But, that gives you plenty of

time to create several masterpieces for competition. If you haven’t already chosen the

categories you want to enter, go to www.texasgourdsociety.org and look over the

Competition Guidelines. The Application is there to send in. We have made some

major changes to the lineup. We have added to Masters with an extra Division, the

Grand Master. For Novice through Advanced the categories are concentrated on

techniques. There is a new Open Division with fun categories for everyone in Novice

through Advanced. And, our stand alone Open category is “Anything

Fredericksburg”. You can create anything to do with our host city in the past or

present such as German heritage, Native American, Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Hill

Cabochons made with clear class

beads and nail polish.

Country, Peaches, Wineries, Vineyards and more. This is a mixed media category as

long as the gourd predominates. Start planning your entries and get to creating.

Call For Instructors

Rosa Semien, Education Chair, has put out a call for Instructors for the Festival. If

you are interested in teaching go to www.texasgourdsociety.org and click on Festival

and you will find the Application.

A visit to the Wuertz Gourd Farm

The first week of November I had a great visit at the Wuertz Gourd Farm. Waylon

Wuertz was very welcoming, as always. He climbed up dug into this huge pile of

gourds looking for the shapes that I wanted. They have added a lot to the farm, since I

was there last. The main buying area is now covered, so if you are coming in the

summer, you wont be fried by the sun. In addition to that area there are several places

with enormous piles of gourds to choose from. The new crop of gourds were still in

the field. Under all those leaves are probably thousands of gourds, that were still too

green to pick. If you are ever out in Arizona, this gourd farm is a must.

The first frost of the year was the night before this picture was taken

The next visit to a gourd farm, is, hopefully, Pumpkin Hollow in Arkansas. If anyone

plans on visiting a gourd farm, share you story and photos with us for the Gourdzette.

*********************

Remember, this Gourdzette is for all of you. Please share your photos and

stories with us all. We would love to help you show off your favorite gourd

creations. Help other gourders by sharing a tutorial, tips and ideas. What is

your favorite gourd far or supplies. Let us hear from you.

THE TEXAS GOURDZETTE NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING RATES AD RATES FOR 1 YEAR (4 issues) Includes a LINK on the TGS website to your website, or your email and/or phone number. Single issue ads do not receive a free website link. AD RATES PER ISSUE If you buy for a full year, your ad will be placed on the website as a Gourdzette Advertiser. Full page Ad (8 ½ x 11 inches $60 per issue 1/2 page Ad $30 per issue 1/3 page Ad $15 1/4 page Ad $18 per issue 1/6 page Ad (3 x 3/5 inches) $12 per issue Deadline for ad changes are the first day of January, April, July and October. Check should be made payable to: Texas Gourd Society Blanche Cavaretta, Treasurer 220 CR 90E Halletsville, Texas 77964