Earth's canvas: Former Warren woman takes gourd art to new heights
As an artist, Jeanne Stietz of Gratiot, Wis. taps into her passion of working with gourds to complete the “artsy” side of her life. This former Warren resident has been working with the plant for the past 11 years. She said she enjoys utilizing a variety of media and techniques with the gourd to create both functional and decorative objects. She explains, “When I pick up a gourd, I let the gourd tell me what to do with it. I love creating movement and flow in my pieces. Working with gourds is my passion, and I believe it shows in my creations.”
When Stietz takes to gourd canvas, she paints, carves or wood burns into the shell. She uses a method called “coiling,” where she laces pines needles, leather string or other methods to lace the shell. While she does buy some of the items she uses to coil, she often takes to the woods to locate special pine needles or grass to incorporate into her art.
Over time, Stietz has educated herself on how to best work with gourds. She prides herself on getting the end result for the vision she has, and what the gourd offers in canvas form. She said she can tell just by the feel of a gourd how thick the skin is — thinner is for decorative pieces — thicker is for carving. She said it’s all about trial and error.
Stietz is quick to say her passion with gourds is much more than a craft. This is art. She painstakingly works long hours in a studio near her home, sifting through the many gourds she has located in a corner. She does not grow her own gourds. Instead, she, her husband Ralph and friends take a trip to Indiana each year to buy the gourds she uses at a gourd show. They take a trailer.
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By Anonymous As an artist, Jeanne Stietz of Gratiot, Wis. taps into her passion of working with gourds to complete the “artsy” side of her life. This former Warren resident has been working with the plant for the past 11 years.
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