Woodburning Gourds - Step 3 | A Natural State - Episode 4

Kaltura

The outline of the design is filled in with the broad side of the wood-burning tool. The process of burning in the body of the design may take ten or more hours depending on the size and complexity of the outline. The finished gourd is covered with a coat of varnish that adds contrast to the design while accentuating the natural character of the gourd's surface.

More in this Series

Natural State / Sandhills | A Natural State / Leslie Pierce

Woodburning Gourds - Step 3 | A Natural State
   - Episode 4 Spotlight 1

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Spotlight
Episode 1
As an educator at the Columbia Museum of Art, Leslie uses her knowledge of art history to inform her creative decisions in the studio. She describes herself as "old school" in her appreciation of art...
Woodburning Gourds - Step 3 | A Natural State
   - Episode 4 Woodburning Gourds 2

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Woodburning Gourds
Episode 2
Gourds that come off the farm are coated in dirt, decayed tissue and mildew. Leslie prepares each gourd for wood burning by washing its surface with soap, scrubber and sponge. After cleaning, she uses...
 Woodburning Gourds 3

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Woodburning Gourds
Episode 3
Leslie studies books of illustration and graphic design from around the world and from many eras before beginning a project. After finding inspiration, she pencils in the design on the surface of the...
Woodburning Gourds - Step 3 | A Natural State
   - Episode 4 Working with Gourds | A Natural State 5

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Working with Gourds | A Natural State
Episode 5
As a trained painter and printmaker, Leslie usually works in two dimensions with various paints and pigments. Though gourds are often painted, Leslie seeks to emphasize the natural textures, colors...
Woodburning Gourds - Step 3 | A Natural State
   - Episode 4 The Farm | A Natural State 6

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The Farm | A Natural State
Episode 6
The three most common gourd types in North America are hardshells, ornamentals and luffas. Hardshells have woody, rot-resistant shells that can grow to an inch thick under ideal growing conditions...
Woodburning Gourds - Step 3 | A Natural State
   - Episode 4 Lena Braswell's Farm | A Natural State 7

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Lena Braswell's Farm | A Natural State
Episode 7
During the spring, tens of thousands of dried gourds are piled high in front of Lena Braswell's farm in Wrens, Georgia. Artists and crafters come from around the southeast to choose from Braswell's...