Working with gourds allows me more freedom to express myself than many other forms of art and allows me a lot of creativity using a variety of techniques and mediums. I can incorporate pyrography and carving alone or together along with paint, shimmers, ink dyes and a wide variety of medium. Most of my gourd designs evolve as I work on them so it can be very exciting watching them evolve as I go.

Creating gourd masks is probably the most fun because it allows me to let my imagination go wild. I start with a sketch of the face (which usually changes as I go) and then choose the beads and embellishments for the face. Coordinating the colors for the face comes next and once the face is finished I start selecting the feathers. This part is critical and can make or break a mask. Picking and choosing the individual feathers is critical, not just for color but for size, shape and overall design. All available gourds are available for sale at: www.nedradenison.com